Filarmonica boxes and scales

[camoloc]

the Filli EPBD 13.

having taken apart both of my Fillis for restoration purposes......they are better than most as far as construction and detail for plastic.

As I've mentioned on other posts, the EPBD grind feels different to me than the DT 13's.

camo

 

[Sukeroku]

Grabbed the bull by the horns this evening. No box but it appears to be a 2nd Generation
Medallon Taurino? Here is the seller's photo:

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

Grabbed the bull by the horns this evening. No box but it appears to be a 2nd Generation
Medallon Taurino? Here is the seller's photo:

View attachment 1260472

Nice!

Mine is an excellent shaver. Keep us up to date with your thoughts on it.

If you like a 13, you will love a 14.

 

[Ice-Man]

Grabbed the bull by the horns this evening. No box but it appears to be a 2nd Generation
Medallon Taurino? Here is the seller's photo:

View attachment 1260472

Is that a spot of deep rust on the blade near the heel in the middle?

 

[Sukeroku]

Is that a spot of deep rust on the blade near the heel in the middle?

Good eye! There is definitely a rust spot near the lyre that I will have to work
out but the edge looks good and there is no corrosion near the gold wash.
Certainly not a NOS razor but the price was significantly less than those on
a popular auction site...

 

[Sukeroku]

Nice!

Mine is an excellent shaver. Keep us up to date with your thoughts on it.

If you like a 13, you will love a 14.

I am looking for a 1st or 2nd generation 14 but I came across this 13.
Its not perfect but is in good condition for the price. I am reading Hemingway's
"Death in the Afternoon" so I thought it was a bit of fate/luck/serendipity since
I really was not really looking for a Medallon Taurino.

 

[Steve56]

The boxes - or coffins, since you’re reading ‘Death in the Afternoon, lol - have never been a good way of identifying razors. Too often they get separated and mixed up by the dealer, buyer, etc. I bought a Gen 1 Medallon Taurino 14 that came in a Gen 2 Sub Cero box, so there ya go.

The earliest Gen 1s seem to have come in various generic boxes, a dark green with a geometric pattern seems to turn up often but there seems to be others - again, the others may be suspect for 100 year old razors. The scales were also generic, either plastic or bakelite, and some of those scales could be seen on other brands of razors.

The Gen 2 coffins generally had the razor model printed on them, but as noted above is not a reliable way to ID a razor. Everything that you need to ID a Filly is on the tang or blade.

Good hunting David!

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Sukeroku]

The boxes - or coffins, since you’re reading ‘Death in the Afternoon, lol - have never been a good way of identifying razors. Too often they get separated and mixed up by the dealer, buyer, etc. I bought a Gen 1 Medallon Taurino 14 that came in a Gen 2 Sub Cero box, so there ya go.

The earliest Gen 1s seem to have come in various generic boxes, a dark green with a geometric pattern seems to turn up often but there seems to be others - again, the others may be suspect for 100 year old razors. The scales were also generic, either plastic or bakelite, and some of those scales could be seen on other brands of razors.

The Gen 2 coffins generally had the razor model printed on them, but as noted above is not a reliable way to ID a razor. Everything that you need to ID a Filly is on the tang or blade.

Good hunting David!

Cheers,

Steve

I have seen white boxes and orange ones (like the two you posted in Straight Razor of the day). I have seen the art deco ones as well. I even saw a Medallon Taurino red and white boxx (rare?) I may have even spotted the green geometric boxes you spoke of. I guess since boxes are easily transferrable, they are not an accurate way to guage the generation of the razors. As for as scales, there are the scales with the large inlay of the lyre (first generation?), the flat plastic scales with the lyre and "Filaharmonica" in an iridescent font and the plastic scales that have 3-D flourishes that remind me 1950's Cadillacs. For these latter two, which came first the iridescent font or the Caddy scales? Are they generation specific?

 

[Steve56]

There are early Gen 1 JMP with bailaora on the scales, and there were also early Gen 1 with metallic badges of animals/art noveau patterns. Later Gen 1, no JMP on the blade but the lyre on the blade with a metallic lyre badge on the scales, then the lyre painted on the scales. wrl’s post mentions the latter two. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘Cadillac’ scales, but wrl also describes the fancier Novodur and Sub Cero scales in his post.

The tang will always tell you what generation it is, The blade and scale graphics can help tell whether it’s early or late in the generation, though scales can and have been swapped.

 

[Eastcoast30]

There are early Gen 1 JMP with bailaora on the scales, and there were also early Gen 1 with metallic badges of animals/art noveau patterns. Later Gen 1, no JMP on the blade but the lyre on the blade with a metallic lyre badge on the scales, then the lyre painted on the scales. wrl’s post mentions the latter two. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘Cadillac’ scales, but wrl also describes the fancier Novodur and Sub Cero scales in his post.

The tang will always tell you what generation it is, The blade and scale graphics can help tell whether it’s early or late in the generation, though scales can and have been swapped.

View attachment 1261810

Las Bailarinas! Wish I had one.

 

[Steve56]

Las Bailarinas! Wish I had one.

The razor or the bailaora?

 

[Sukeroku]

A quick update on my Medallon Taurino:

The razor arrived today. It did not have a box. The condition of the scales was excellent. The
edge has a few small chips so I will have to reset the bevel. As Ice-man pointed out, there
is some corrosion in the middle near the lyre. I worked out all the rust with a fiberglass brush
and sealed the area with Renaissance wax (Thank you, Steve56).

Overall, I am satisfied with the purchase. I plan to break out my Chosera 1K and JNats this
weekend and get this one shave ready. Here are some pics (the blade is actually much shinier
but the light was a little flat in my tatami room):

 

[Eastcoast30]

A quick update on my Medallon Taurino:

The razor arrived today. It did not have a box. The condition of the scales was excellent. The
edge has a few small chips so I will have to reset the bevel. As Ice-man pointed out, there
is some corrosion in the middle near the lyre. I worked out all the rust with a fiberglass brush
and sealed the area with Renaissance wax (Thank you, Steve56).

Overall, I am satisfied with the purchase. I plan to break out my Chosera 1K and JNats this
weekend and get this one shave ready. Here are some pics (the blade is actually much shinier
but the light was a little flat in my tatami room):


View attachment 1262169
View attachment 1262170

Very nice! Some signs of age are to be expected and would not diminish my appreciation of the razor.

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

A quick update on my Medallon Taurino:

The razor arrived today. It did not have a box. The condition of the scales was excellent. The
edge has a few small chips so I will have to reset the bevel. As Ice-man pointed out, there
is some corrosion in the middle near the lyre. I worked out all the rust with a fiberglass brush
and sealed the area with Renaissance wax (Thank you, Steve56).

Overall, I am satisfied with the purchase. I plan to break out my Chosera 1K and JNats this
weekend and get this one shave ready. Here are some pics (the blade is actually much shinier
but the light was a little flat in my tatami room):


View attachment 1262169
View attachment 1262170

Love it!

Like I said before, I don't mind a razor showing it's age.

I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for other Medallon Taurino's. See if I can acquire the whole set.

 

[global_dev]

Some of the fili scales are better than other not in terms of aesthetic or among models that i can tell, but in terms of material and shrinkage. Cue the costanza meme

 

[Sukeroku]

I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for other Medallon Taurino's. See if I can acquire the whole set.

That might be an expensive proposition...but worth seeking out. SRAD.
Hemingway is doing a good job of educating me on the terminology as well
the joys of watching bullfighting (though it is defintely not PETA-friendly).

 

[Sukeroku]

Very nice! Some signs of age are to be expected and would not diminish my appreciation of the razor.

If it was in mint condition, it would probably have been cost prohibitive.
I am looking forward to getting it shave ready and then having a go
with this slightly gored matador.

 

[Steve56]

If it was in mint condition, it would probably have been cost prohibitive.
I am looking forward to getting it shave ready and then having a go
with this slightly gored matador.

13s aren’t bad, in NOS condition they’re about like any other premium 6/8 razor and ypu’re less likely to get a dud.

14s are another story!

 

[Sukeroku]

Well, a white box popped up on everyone's favorite auction site and then was discounted to
$12.50, so I grabbed it. It does not match my Medallion Taurino like Biltong & Boerewors's
box but it is close enough. So, I joined the mismatched box club...perhaps a wee bit ironic
considering the original intent of this thread.

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

Well, a white box popped up on everyone's favorite auction site and then was discounted to
$12.50, so I grabbed it. It does not match my Medallion Taurino like Biltong & Boerewors's
box but it is close enough. So, I joined the mismatched box club...perhaps a wee bit ironic
considering the original intent of this thread.

View attachment 1263184

Solution - You have the box, so buy the right razor for the box