1935 razor & blade sale

[Jake]

Here's a wholesale receipt from 1935, from the Gillette company in Paris, having sold some blades and razors to Monsieur Demoulin.

Now for the detail...

Must be for resale, but check what M. Demoulin purchased:

So we know the No 77, but how about the No44 or No33? Any ideas? Was this a French market special? Am I missing something obvious?

 

[amishmotorboat]

Well, whatever the #33 is, it is 1/3 the price of a 77
Perhaps it didn't come with a case? It was a lot cheaper for some reason.

Here's an ad that has a 44 in it.
http://www.mr-razor.com/Werbung/C 1933 Norfolk, No00, No44, No88 France.jpg

The 44 is 2/3 the price of a 77 (to purchase wholesale, apparently), and for that savings you get a cheaper handle and cheaper case.
It kind of sounds like the 33 would be some kind of rock bottom, no frills deal.

 

[Jake]

Cool... Thanks for the pointer Amish. Never saw that #44 before. Guess it was one for the French market.

 

[MacDaddy]

Sweet. I hadn't seen that ad before either. I was going to point to this later Tech No.44 and guess that the NEW versions might have been the No.44 back in their day, too. Looks like that's exactly what they were.

 

[amishmotorboat]

Sweet. I hadn't seen that ad before either. I was going to point to this later Tech No.44 and guess that the NEW versions might have been the No.44 back in their day, too. Looks like that's exactly what they were.

Oh, wow. I hadn't realized that the numbers were re-used.
Those cases are the same, though.
Do the numbers refer to the cases, and not the razors?

 

[MacDaddy]

Oh, wow. I hadn't realized that the numbers were re-used.
Those cases are the same, though.
Do the numbers refer to the cases, and not the razors?

The numbers generally refer to the sets as a whole. So, inasmuch as it's pretty much the case that determines the set, yeah.

You can see it in the No.77 even within the NEW era. There were the ones with two-piece NEWs and ones with three-piece NEWs. Then later there was also a Tech No.77.

 

[amishmotorboat]

Man.
That numbering system has had me scratching my head for a while. It seemed to be just so random.
You have shed some light on that, sir. Thank you!

 

[alex2363]

Great piece of history Jake, you are very integral to this site, you always bring pure authentic pieces of traditional shave history. Porter great insight, you always beat me to it, but i dont mind because i know you always strive to be accurate, and always are.

 

[alex2363]

Man.
That numbering system has had me scratching my head for a while. It seemed to be just so random.
You have shed some light on that, sir. Thank you!

Yes, many times I almost go bald trying to figure it out too,