Gem Razor Site ???

[fidjit]

Is there a good Gem Razor site with piccies ( like a Mr Razor for Gems ) ???

I keep coming across them down here, and while I'm trying hard not to purchase and start another RAD, I've come across some really nice boxed sets that look like they haven't been used.

I came across a nice one today in a bakelite case with a strange hinged/swivel flat lid, I'd like to know how old it is etc.....

Does such a site exist ???

Cheers.

 

[Robxcarlson]

I don't know about a specific site, but some of the most knowledgeable people are right here at B&B - Don't forget the search feature, either. You can find out a lot from the old posts.

 

[fidjit]

Have tried looking at all the for sales and looked on google images but can't find anything even vaguely similar to the box.

Razor had the ornate handle, but the box was a flat brown bakelite rectangle and had a kind of flat lid ( ie. it didn't really have any sides to it and that hinged on the back and flipped up. Not like a standard type box as there the lid had no back side, it was flat....... GEM written on the lid when you opened it. Handle and head laid out as per diagram.

Does that make any sense ??

Some crappy MS Paint diagrams to try and explain, a standard box versus what it looked like.

I'm guesing cause of the bakelite probably 30's /40s ????


I'm kinda tempted to purchase just to post a piccie, but then Gem RAD would set in .

 

[1OldGI]

Looks like if the head and the handle are seperate in the box, it's probably a 1912 Gem Jr. If so, it will have Gem engraved on the back of the head and the top will be a manual flip top like these

PS: If this is indeed what you are looking at, do yourself a favor and add it to your collection, these are absolutley FANTASTIC shavers. You won't be sorry

 

[fidjit]

So is a 1912 made in 1912 or is that a model designation ???

Is $30AU reasonable price for it ( looks in Very Good condition including the Bakelite case ) ???

As I say I know nothing about Gems


Cheers.

 

[pablo_h]

1912 is a model designation, as the design was patented in 1912, but they were made all the way up to the 1950s I beleive.

edit: theres PAT 1912 models, PAT 1914, Pat 1924 (flip top, cap reversed and hinges from the front), Micromatic (clog-pruf, open comb and bullet tipped), the G bar and the Featherweight to name some.
Pat 1912 is available as an open comb but very rare. "Lather Catchers" are the big old pre 1912 GEMs, because of that the some pat 1912 GEMs were labelled/stamped 'GEM Jnrs' as they were smaller than the lather catchers.

$30 is pretty high, the most I've ever paid for a GEM pat 1912 was $20 for a cased damaskeene model, that model was actually made around 1912. I could have got that one cheaper, but I really wanted a damaskeene. The damaskeene is the version shown last in 1OLDGI's photos, the one with the plain knurled handle, under the razor cap it's stamped "use only GEM Damaskeene blades", and has "GEM CUtlery CO" stamped on the back instead of just "GEM" or "GEM Jnr"

Of the later ones probably made in the 1920s-1940s I've never paid more than $10-15 for good cased ones, I've bought heaps of them under $10 too. These things are dirt cheap on uk and usa fleabay. Ones without a case I dont pay more than $7.

edit: Some of the Pat 1912 style are labeled "Ever-ready" instead of GEM, but they are the same. Also, quite a few of the pat 1912 version of Ever-Readys and GEMs were made in England.

 

[fidjit]

Thanks for the ( Aussie ) insight.

As I say I've seen heaps of these down here in Hobart and don't want to start buying as it'll just start another RAD.

This one just looked so nice ( it's gold...did I mention that ) and the bakelite case was very interesting.

I was going to "rescue" it out of a very out of the way dodgy buy/sell second hand shop.

If I REALLY wanted to try one I would have taken one of Miner's pif ones....

More thought must go into this one

 

[fidjit]

And as fate would have it, found this on Ebay.

The one I've found is similar (as far as I can remember but the bakelite is brown and the razor is gold/brass and is obviously marked as Gem rather than Ever Ready ). Never seen a case like this one before but as I say I've normally just passed Gems over

 

[luvmysuper]

It's just me speaking, others opinion will likely differ -
There are a lot more razors than cases around, particularly the nice bakelite ones.
If it was me, and it looked as good as the one you pictured, I'd have no issue with coughing up $30AU

 

[pablo_h]

And as fate would have it, found this on Ebay.

The one I've found is similar (as far as I can remember but the bakelite is brown and the razor is gold/brass and is obviously marked as Gem rather than Ever Ready ). Never seen a case like this one before but as I say I've normally just passed Gems over

Is the GEM made in england or USA?
I've never seen a set like that, there are some rare bakelite sets made in england. I'd offer the shop $20 and see if they take it.

 

[Bushranger]

a gold one would be nice. talk him down Ian. let us know