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Arko Man: An Arko August Biography

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The Instigator
Pretty sure Arko Man is Tom Swift's older brother, who went missing in WWII ...

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The Instigator
As a Turk I was a bit surprised. I am so glad to see this topic here. But honestly even we, Turks, don't exactly know who is the Arko Man. We have talked and discussed about it on our Turkish Shaving Forum (Geltir) actually and we came to conclusion that it was taken from a Yeşilçam (Turkish cinema) Artist, Murat Soydan, I am going to add a photo of Murat Soydan. Take a look at him, please. What is your thoughts on it?

... But this is surely close to the mark.

Many thanks for your input!


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Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
I know a Turkish barber who lives in Indiana but is originally from Ankara. He claims to have shaved Arko Man several times in his shop in Ankara some years ago. He has photos, and says he will scan them and send them to me. Stay tuned!
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
That's a great piece. It looks like Rudy Vallee playing Arko Man! Is it an advert for a soap stick? Do you know where it's from? @Alohawyatt
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
My federally grant funded research dept got right on this case. He was a Williams man, 1918. He also did creams.

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He is embarrassed. Apparently, he is moonlighting three jobs. Colgate, Williams and Palmolive.
 
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Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
I know a Turkish barber who lives in Indiana but is originally from Ankara. He claims to have shaved Arko Man several times in his shop in Ankara some years ago. He has photos, and says he will scan them and send them to me. Stay tuned!
I mentioned earlier that a Turkish barber of my acquaintance living in Indianapolis claims to have met and shaved Arko Man back in the Old Country. He promised to scan some photos and send them to me, and gave me permission to share them here on B&B.

Here are the first few photos. He says there are others coming. Although inconclusive, these look very promising.

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His name is Ömer Demir. He had an early career in a side show as he grew a thick white beard at the young age of four. Ömer was ridiculed for his beard as a child and often got into fights which got him expelled from school. He was discovered by a travelling circus while he was getting a straight razor shave one day in a dusty open air market at the age of six. The owner of the circus known only as Dorko Arko was a baby faced man who could never grow facial hair but longed to shave. Dorko made an arrangement with Ömer that he would receive free food, shelter and 10% of the admissions to his show, in the contract there was also a clause that Dorko gave him a genuine barbershop straight shave whenever he pleased. Ömer grew to enjoy his straight razor shaves and Since Ömer could grow his beard back in less than an hour after shaving he took advantage of Dorkos offer. One day Ömer found himself so successful that Dorko was growing incredibly rich off him. Ömer asked for 30% of the admissions to his show which Dorko scoffed at. Ömer took this personally and demanded he be shaved every hour on the hour. This continued for 3 months straight 24/7 until finally Darko went mad. The picture on the Arko shaving products is that of Ömer laughing at Dorko, demanding his next shave.

I’m full of it but that was fun right? I have never tried Arko. First puck is in the mail.
 

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The Instigator
I mentioned earlier that a Turkish barber of my acquaintance living in Indianapolis claims to have met and shaved Arko Man back in the Old Country. He promised to scan some photos and send them to me, and gave me permission to share them here on B&B.

Here are the first few photos. He says there are others coming. Although inconclusive, these look very promising.

View attachment 1134113View attachment 1134114

The ... Invisible Man?

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