Dumb question alert concerning 1903 Gillettes...

[InfernoOrangeSS]

I love the history of the Gillette razors and was wondering how tough it is these days to find one of the first Gillettes. I also wonder how expensive they run.
Also...what to look for and what to look out for, as far as someone trying to dupe an unsuspecting buyer like myself.

 

[Mark1966]

Firstly there are no dumb questions That is how you learn.

The first mass produced Gillettes where the Double Rings - so called because of the rings around the collar - check out the wiki.

The ones pre November 1904 have 'Pat App. For' on the barrell rather than the patent number. Serial numbering only started in 1904 so teh earliest ones had no serial number.

They can go for lots as discussed here or be a bargain find as discussed here.

Happy hunting!

 

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Thank you for your help. One of the reasons I love this place so much is the vast amount of knowledge and how friendly people are to people like me.

 

[mblakele]

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Double_Ring lists about 30 double rings that we know of. There are not very many still known to exist, but you may get lucky. Watch out for bent teeth and other mechanical damage, but do not worry about tarnish.

Personally I am skeptical that any of the Gillette razors made in 1903 still exist. Nickerson's 1919 article described the first shipment of 50 razors going out 1 January 1904. Other reports claim 51 sets for 1903 as a whole - but perhaps some of these were sales rather than shipments. We think that around 50,000 double rings were made before the serial numbers started in mid-1904. So without known provenance, an unnumbered double ring is about 1,000 times more likely to be 1904 than 1903.

 

[alex2363]

Firstly there are no dumb questions That is how you learn.

The first mass produced Gillettes where the Double Rings - so called because of the rings around the collar - check out the wiki.

The ones pre November 1904 have 'Pat App. For' on the barrell rather than the patent number. Serial numbering only started in 1904 so teh earliest ones had no serial number.

They can go for lots as discussed here or be a bargain find as discussed here.

Happy hunting!

Mark, very good view, i asked so many dumb questions that i would be considered extremely dumb

 

[Copierguy]

They do show up now and then like this one in the cigar box. A fellow handed the box to me and asked if I would give him $35 for all. So you might say that this story conflicts with Mark1966's theory about questions.....