Big Fellow with D-in-G Hallmark

[tri33]

Greetings Gentlemen,

I thought I share with you the Big Fellow razor I won about a week ago. The razor was pretty tarnished but I spent a TON of time polishing it up. I actually tried the tin foil/baking soda method for the first time. I thought it worked pretty darn well to remove a lot of tarnish with very little work. Although it doesn't give you the brilliant luster and shine that silver polish can. So after I did two soaks in the baking soda I spent a long time polishing it.

Man was it worth it, I have never gotten a silver razor to look this good. I might have even been able to do a little better if I had spent some more time on it.

Anyways, after I had polished it up and was sitting there admiring my work I realized it had the G-in-D stamp! I couldn't see it before because it was so tarnished. Here is the link to the auction. I believe the consensus is that the G-in-D stamp is a sort of hallmark indicating that the razor is either silver or gold plated, and was required for the European market.

It was expensive but I'm really happy with it!

Here are some pictures:

 

[ackvil]

Great job. Would not recognize the same razor on the eBay site.

 

[chongo gordo]

Wow, that is an excellent find, the plating looks untouched. Odd thing is, the same thing happened to me last week. I bought a Single ring that was overlooked on Ebay. Only $9, it was really grubby with tarnish. While cleaning I discovered the G in D marking (post photo when I can).

I named it "Frenchy," and have been using it all week.

 

[ojinsa]

Very nice! Great score and you did a helluva job!

 

[tri33]

Wow, that is an excellent find, the plating looks untouched. Odd thing is, the same thing happened to me last week. I bought a Single ring that was overlooked on Ebay. Only $9, it was really grubby with tarnish. While cleaning I discovered the G in D marking (post photo when I can).

I named it "Frenchy," and have been using it all week.

Haha that's crazy.

Thanks for all the kind words guys.

 

[chongo gordo]

Ok, I finally took a photo of my "G in D" single ring. The first is from the seller's listing, (I can't imagine why nobody else would bid on this, it's "shave ready"). The "G in D" is hiding in the tarnish, but you can spot it if you look for it:



Here it is after a quick cleaning - The marking really stands out:



Yep, an American Gillette in 1920 France. If this razor could talk.

 

[malocchio]

Nice clean-up...my favorite razor,gives me the closest shaves of all.

 

[ERVARGASNY]

Nice find indeed

 

[alex2363]

Great restoration job. Indeed the Gin D is more pronounced after the complete makeover. Did you do the case too?

 

[Havok305]

Wow. Nice clean-up.

 

[coolbus18]

Excellent ! Enjoy that fine and now shiny razor!

 

[Ace McCool]

That is an amazing polish job - what brand of polish did you use?

 

[chongo gordo]

Great restoration job. Indeed the Gin D is more pronounced after the complete makeover. Did you do the case too?

No, just the razor on its own. The history of these old Gillettes is really interesting. You have to wonder how a razor exported to France 90 years ago found its way back to the United States. It's a fairly turbulent period of history, to say the least . And of course, the razor looks good and shaves well. I'm really liking these early silver-clad Gillettes.

@ Ace McCool baking soda and aluminum foil, light polish with flannel rag.

 

[alex2363]

No, just the razor on its own. The history of these old Gillettes is really interesting. You have to wonder how a razor exported to France 90 years ago found its way back to the United States. It's a fairly turbulent period of history, to say the least . And of course, the razor looks good and shaves well.

I would assume that eBay or any other selling site may have had a play on that exportation. I currently own a French made Leresche razor and i am sure that eBay had something to do with it being here in the States. Sometimes people also move from other countries and bring the razors abroad too.

 

[chongo gordo]

I would assume that eBay or any other selling site may have had a play on that exportation. I currently own a French made Leresche razor and i am sure that eBay had something to do with it being here in the States. Sometimes people also move from other countries and bring the razors abroad too.

Yes, we'll never know. One of the great things about vintage razors, aside from excellent craftsmanship, is the history. BTW, I think I saw a photo of your LeResche, it looks like a bear trap. Very cool.

 

[alex2363]

Yes, we'll never know. One of the great things about vintage razors, aside from excellent craftsmanship, is the history. BTW, I think I saw a photo of your LeResche, it looks like a bear trap. Very cool.

The Leresche #77 has one of the biggest gaps i seen in a razor, but yet it is one of the smoothest i ever shaved with.