Any info on who manufactured ALTZ straight razors?

[Dundee]

I posted about the restoration of this razor over on the WE subreddit, but I remembered I had an account here and wanted to ask if anyone knows much about the manufacturing of this? I've tried searching, but could only find a post about a member here being sold a razor with a similar brand. Pretty sure ALTZ is the manufacturer just selling to this Moline Barber Supply Co.?

Mostly curious about when it was made, if it was from a reputed manufacturer, etc. The seller on eBay had it marked as an Imperial, which I know from a list here is a good brand, but I'd already bought it by the time I looked at the pictures and realized they mislabeled it. Shaves good so far, just wondering if it will hold a decent edge. Should still be a step up from my Gold Dollar?

 

[DrStrange]

My first guess would be that the Altz brand name belonged to Moline
and not to the manufacturer; implying that more than one
manufacturer may have had the contract.

Those look like genuine bone scales.

I happen to like razors which were manufactured
in Germany for American retailers.

 

[The MaydayGuard]

@Dundee, maybe the following is a good start to continue your research:

Moline B.S. Co. stands for "Moline Barber Supply Company" located in Moline, Illinois.
I found a reference from 1910 mentioning them as wholesaler for razors and hones.
They were mentioned several times in the Journal "The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review" (1913, 1915, 1921, 1924).
The owner was B.W. Altz. His surname is the brand name of your razor.

Here is a screenshot from the 1913 edition of the mentioned journal:

The razor was certainly manufactured in Solingen , however, I believe it is nearly impossible to find out, which company this was.

By the way, congratulation, this is a nice razor.

 

[Dundee]

My first guess would be that the Altz brand name belonged to Moline
and not to the manufacturer; implying that more than one
manufacturer may have had the contract.

Those look like genuine bone scales.

I happen to like razors which were manufactured
in Germany for American retailers.

I do believe they are bone. I've never really worked with bone to say for sure, but they've got some grain in some areas and have a nice translucent effect when put to light. They also took on a very nice luster while soaking in mineral oil so I think that points to bone, if I'm not mistaken. When I sanded on them they definitely left a very fine powdery residue like the caratin in fingernails would.

@Dundee, maybe the following is a good start to continue your research:

Moline B.S. Co. stands for "Moline Barber Supply Company" located in Moline, Illinois.
I found a reference from 1910 mentioning them as wholesaler for razors and hones.
They were mentioned several times in the Journal "The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review" (1913, 1915, 1921, 1924).
The owner was B.W. Altz. His surname is the brand name of your razor.

Here is a screenshot from the 1913 edition of the mentioned journal:

View attachment 1504112

The razor was certainly manufactured in Solingen , however, I believe it is nearly impossible to find out, which company this was.

By the way, congratulation, this is a nice razor.

Great find! So anywhere between ~110-120 years old? That's awesome. I love old stuff like that.

Also, thanks. I think I got very lucky in finding one in relatively good shape my first time looking. $15 to buy it off the bay and then $7 more for a pinning kit off Maggard's, so I'm pretty dang happy with it for less than $25. Plus it was a lot of fun to restore; I think I may have found a new hobby.