What's new

Gillette New De Luxe models

R

romsitsa

Hello,

following up a discussion in another thread, what do we know about high end Gillette New models?
Based on Krumholz, Mr.Razor, Razor Archive and advertisements to me it looks like this:
The first De Luxe series with serial numbers according to Krumholz consisted of
Criterion (gold or chromium)
Belmont (gold)
Big Boy (gold or chromium)
Lady Gillette (gold)
Norfolk (gold or chromium)
President (gold)
Aristocrat (gold)
These were cancelled shortly after te merger in February 1931.

A sales pamphlet from 1931 lists following De Luxe sets:
Criterion (gold or chromium)
Belmont (gold)
Big Boy (gold or chromium)
Lady Gillette (gold)
Norfolk (gold or chromium)
President (gold)
Aristocrat (gold)
Cruiser (gold)

Krumholz states that high end New razors were still produced after the De Luxe series ceased, but without serial numbers and these were called DeLuxe.
These were:
Criterion (gold or chromium)
Belmont (gold)
Lady Gillette (gold)
Norfolk (gold or chromium)
Cruiser (gold)
This list above misses Big Boy (gold or chromium), ads from 1935 list this set.

There are some interesting entries, so question time:
Was there a Gillette New De Luxe or DeLuxe Traveler? Or are these the Cruiser?
Was Cruiser introduced in 1930 or in 1931?
President and Aristocrat were all serial numbered De Luxe sets only produced in 1930-31?
Is there an ad or anything written about a chromium Belmont from the US (I know the British ads)?
Were all Tuckaway type sets called Norfolk, or what exactly is a Norfolk?
A Lady Gillette handle, DeLuxe head and plain blade case in a Tuckaway (similar pattern to Belmont) box?

Thanks

Adam
 
Wow, that's too many questions?
You need to slow down... :)

AFAIK:
- "Cruiser" was an early name for Traveller"
- Yes
- seems so
- never seen that, never seen the case either
- I believe so
- pictures?
 
R

romsitsa

A fellow member sent me a pic of a New Traveler shiper, so it somehow existed, but why is it not listed anywhere? Could it be that it's a "stop gap" set using left over New Improved Traveler cases? These were the same as the Cruiser, except had Traveler stamped into the liner?

The ads for the Norfolk never show the top of the case and there are several case patterns, wit new razors, so I mean this:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1930 Norfolk De Luxe chrome.JPG
Is this the Norfolk, and all others are Tuckaway sets with a New razor?

Adam
 
- that is possible, I can recall I have seen a New Traveler shipper too
- my understanding is only the NEW Deluxe Chromium version is Norfolk. All the rests are Tuckaway.
 
R

romsitsa

Porter suggested that New combination sets are identical to New Improved combination sets except for the razors. Running through price lists it looks like Gillette basically renamed/streamlined the NI sortiment and swapped razors when introducing the De Luxe models.

Deluxe (75 USD) – Aristocrat (75 USD)
Cavalier (25 USD)– President (25 USD)
Traveler (10 USD)– Cruiser (10 USD)
Bostonian (5-6 USD)– Belmont (altered case) (6 USD)
Standard (5 USD)– Criterion (5 USD)
Big Fellow (5-6 USD)– Big Boy (7,5 USD)
Richwood (25 USD)– Richwood (only England)
Tuckaway (5 USD)– Norfolk (5 USD)
Milady Decolletee (? USD)– Lady Gillette (6 USD)

So it would be logical that the Cruiser was available in 1930. As the set from Achims site is a Traveler, but there is no imprint on the liner, I guess either someone forgot that the name was changed, or the Traveler was renamed to Cruiser somewhen in 1930-1931.
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1930 NEW De Luxe Gold Traveler.JPG

Adam
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
New Deluxe truism: don't drop it, or the end teeth will bend. Heavy, soft brass.

Got one with pristine teeth? Don't drop it!


AA
 
I’m pretty guarded with mine too.
I’d love for someone to do an overlay comparison with all four NEW head profiles, with and without a blade seated in the cap.
 
So it would be logical that the Cruiser was available in 1930. As the set from Achims site is a Traveler, but there is no imprint on the liner, I guess either someone forgot that the name was changed, or the Traveler was renamed to Cruiser somewhen in 1930-1931.
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1930 NEW De Luxe Gold Traveler.JPG
OR,

they had NI combination cases in stock which they used for the first first De Luxe series sets without changing anything
 
R

romsitsa

Hello, the Somerset is not a De Luxe/DeLuxe model, it's a New packed into a Tuckaway case. Or maybe a New packed into a NI case to burn remaining NI stock. Engine turned NI sets were all discounted (except for combination sets), most likely they were not attractive enough for the premium price.

Tonich, this could be also possible, as the cases and fittings were exactly the same.

Adam
 
R

romsitsa

Found an ad for the 50 New blade case from the Christmas season of 1930, it mentions 8 New De Luxe sets as further gift ideas. Although the sets are not listed, going by the numbers the Traveler/Cruiser had to be part of the first sortiment.

Adam
 
R

romsitsa

Hello Achim,

thank you. Do I see correctly, that the Norfolk has a new case with a sliding clasp, while others have regular Tuckaway cases (push button)?

The Traveler set of yours:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1930 NEW De Luxe Gold Traveler.JPG

lists Gillette as founder, has 10 Blue blades and a serial numbered razor. So if Gillette resigned in April 1931, the set should be not earlier than May 1931, although the razor looks to have a low serial number, so maybe it was made in 1930. And then the Cruiser-Traveler change happened in 1931.

Adam
 
Hello, the Somerset is not a De Luxe/DeLuxe model, it's a New packed into a Tuckaway case. Or maybe a New packed into a NI case to burn remaining NI stock. Engine turned NI sets were all discounted (except for combination sets), most likely they were not attractive enough for the premium price.

Tonich, this could be also possible, as the cases and fittings were exactly the same.

Adam

Good to know. These were expensive at the time.
Combo.jpg
 
R

romsitsa

If I compare it to a Traveler, 10 USD is hillarious for a pocket razor. Ok, it’s fancy, but only machine engraved.

Adam
 
Hello Achim,

thank you. Do I see correctly, that the Norfolk has a new case with a sliding clasp, while others have regular Tuckaway cases (push button)?

...

Adam

My Rhodium- and my Gold Norfolk comes with the push bottom case. It looks like Gillette used both cases: I´ve New Improved Tuckaway´s with both cases.
 
I have one of the few surviving complete monogrammed New De Luxe President Cavalier sets in its leather case. This was a damn expensive set for 1930 after the crash. Gillette was in the midst of the confusion of the merger, and very few of the hand engraved and carved sets went out. The engraver is obviously the same man who did thousands of New Improved Cavalier sets for well to do gentlemen before the Great Depression. This one, with a beautiful New De Luxe as its centerpiece, is the only post-crash New Cavalier set I have ever come across. It is by no means “one of one” but the number produced was very low and the number of survivors is a tiny percentage of that. True luxury goods from the Depression Era are hard to come by.
DC01E09C-F8EA-4C51-A22F-1793D401470E.jpeg
BCB19A44-D439-4B0E-95D3-0FF96900844A.jpeg
 
Top Bottom