Gillette "Red" tip razor case question

[slickster514]

I have a 1956 Gillette Super Speed "Red" Tip with case. My question is concerning the case not the razor. I've seen cases for this razor on the internet marked "Heavy", whereas my case has no mention.

I'm just curious if there were variations of the case for this razor?

 

[AsylumGuido]

I have a 1956 Gillette Super Speed "Red" Tip with case. My question is concerning the case not the razor. I've seen cases for this razor on the internet marked "Heavy", whereas my case has no mention.

I'm just curious if there were variations of the case for this razor?

The "Heavy" would have been on a printed cardboard insert in the case.

 

[mr-razor]

The "Heavy" would have been on a printed cardboard insert in the case.

not all

 

[valmara1971]

Guess that's you told AG

 

[Oldguy]

Most Red Tip cases I've seen including my own have no mention of "Heavy" at all.

Len

 

[Prince]

Most Red Tip cases I've seen including my own have no mention of "Heavy" at all.

Len

Mine does not have that detail either.

 

[newboy]

Mine either, 1956 B3.
I think I've read some where that the most common red tips are 1956, maybe earlier red tips had 'heavy' on the case, as I've just noticed achim lists a 1955 with 'heavy' on the case

 

[texbilly]

not all

Achim, I think your case is the first I've seen of the Light-Regular-Heavy trio since my (former) Blue Tip set. Great input!

 

[mr-razor]

Achim, I think your case is the first I've seen of the Light-Regular-Heavy trio since my (former) Blue Tip set. Great input!

very nice, you Blue Tip case!

 

[hypo_style]

One of these Red Tip cases sold on eBay a few or two back. According to the description, the date code was E2, second quarter of 1959. Perhaps this was a detail added to later color-coded cases, just before they were discontinued?

 

[the beav]

There's one on ebay right now that's also a '59.

 

[dreadpirate]

Hmm - I had a red tip case and I do not recall it saying heavy on it.

not all

 

[luvmysuper]

Aside from some other unmarked maroon cases for Red Tips, I have the "Heavy" marked maroon case, and the "Regular" marked Tan case, but alas, my light blue Blue Tip case is plain.
I will find a blue tip case marked "Light".

 

[Jacquers]

Thread revival!

I recently acquired a RT and normal Flare Tip as part of a lot which included a lighter red case like what a Flare Tip SS would come in. I have seen photos of a RT in the lighter red case - is it possible that some Red Tips came in the lighter case or did they all come in the darker Burgundy case?

 

[mgbbrown]

Jacquers; If your Flare tip is a 1954- the red based styrene case pictured above is correct for that year Flare Tip Super Speed only. By the introduction of the Red Tip Super Speed in 1955- not only did Gillette design the razor for specific users within the market- they made the razor easily distinguished to the potential buyer by color-coding the display case to match the razor and razor type. Therefore, the Red Tip was sold in a burgundy case; the Flare Tip in a tan case; and the Blue Tip in a light blue case. Point of purchase displays could have these razors together as a group or individually in their own dispenser. As for the Red Tip being associated with a red case when it was found- the reasons for this happening are many. One scenario is that the seller simply mismatched the case to the razor type; the original owner could have had a Flare Tip that he purchased in 1954 with the red case, but in time lost the case specific to the Red Tip Super Speed that he also had, and they simply became mismatched through time, perhaps by a surviving family member who did not know which razor went with which case. I hope this helps! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[nemo]

Like Tony @mgbbrown says, that case predates the Red Tip, the last it was used (USA) was Z-4 as I figure.

 

[mgbbrown]

Thanks Doug! I hope you are well Sir! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[Jacquers]

Excellent info, thx!

 

[ccpastork]

Jacquers; If your Flare tip is a 1954- the red based styrene case pictured above is correct for that year Flare Tip Super Speed only. By the introduction of the Red Tip Super Speed in 1955- not only did Gillette design the razor for specific users within the market- they made the razor easily distinguished to the potential buyer by color-coding the display case to match the razor and razor type. Therefore, the Red Tip was sold in a burgundy case; the Flare Tip in a tan case; and the Blue Tip in a light blue case. Point of purchase displays could have these razors together as a group or individually in their own dispenser. As for the Red Tip being associated with a red case when it was found- the reasons for this happening are many. One scenario is that the seller simply mismatched the case to the razor type; the original owner could have had a Flare Tip that he purchased in 1954 with the red case, but in time lost the case specific to the Red Tip Super Speed that he also had, and they simply became mismatched through time, perhaps by a surviving family member who did not know which razor went with which case. I hope this helps! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrownView attachment 791578 View attachment 791579 View attachment 791580 View attachment 791586 View attachment 791587 View attachment 791588 View attachment 791589 View attachment 791590 View attachment 791591

Like Tony @mgbbrown says, that case predates the Red Tip, the last it was used (USA) was Z-4 as I figure.

I have the same lighter red case which has an I1 Flare Tip in it. Is the lighter red case only for 1954 or did others years also use this case?

 

[nemo]

I have the same lighter red case which has an I1 Flare Tip in it. Is the lighter red case only for 1954 or did others years also use this case?

I'm pretty sure just 1954. That was the year both straight and flare tip Super Speeds were available but I almost always see flare tips in the red case, 40's style razors were TV Specials. 1953 still had the big blue case and I've seen one Z1 using that, too -- no telling what happened there. They made a heck of a lot of razors in 1954.

Someone should do a detailed Super Speed case chronology. Your I1 belongs in a white perforated case but I guess you already know that. The sixties were pretty easy.