Gold Combination Set - Old Type or NEW?

[Ace McCool]

So I scored a Gold Combination Set/Deluxe Traveler at a flea market in my Canadian city, but in the set was a Gold Tech. I knew this was not the razor that came with the set but I bought it anyway.

I'm having trouble figuring out if it's the Old Type set seen here: http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/Old Type/1921 Standard Set 00G-02.JPG

Or if it is one of the NEW sets seen here:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/New Improved/1921 Combination Set gold.jpg
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1930 NEW De Luxe Gold Traveler.JPG
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1930 NEW DeLuxe Canada.JPG

The reason for the difficulty is the case has no "Made In USA/Canada" around the Gillette logo like all the ones I have seen, and instead has only "Known the World Over" I cannot find another photo of one that doesn't have a "Made In..."

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers!

edit: Sorry for the sideways photos - don't know how to fix that.

 

[celestino]

Great find and good luck identifying it. You are right, that Tech does not belong there.

 

[CGW409]

Not just any Tech but a 1946 Contract Tech.
Without the razor it's a bit of a toughie and about the only clue I can pick up is the liner in the case of the Old Type has a slightly redder tinge to the purple(more maroon/burgundyish) even taking account for the photo flash.
The other three are way more to the blueish side on the purple.
Considering your set has a more red tinged liner my best guess would be the Old Type set.

 

[Dalejr]

Lucky, in good condition too...

 

[MacDaddy]

Well, you can safely say that it's a Combination Set that you have there. The Traveler sets only came with a single blade case and didn't have a slot for a second one. As for which generation, I'd lean toward it being an Old Type. You might see if you can make out an imprint from the original razor's guard comb in the velvet in the bottom of the case. Since the razors spend a lot of time sitting in the case it's very common to be able to see a pretty clear indication of the size of the teeth, which are very different between the Old Type and the New Improved.

 

[ERVARGASNY]

Yep MacDaddy is right, I have a Travler and it only comes with one blade case and no slot for the second blade case )

Either way nice find there OP )

 

[Ace McCool]

Thanks guys,

So far, looking at the razor's guard comb marks in the velvet in the bottom of the case is proving to be the best bet. (Great idea MacDaddy) I will need to get a magnifying glass as the marks are very faint, but if I had to guess right now, the marks look most like the New Improved. This still doesn't explain why there is no "Made In..."

Ins't it amazing that 90 years later we are still finding new sets and cases that haven't been documented.

 

[Ace McCool]

Ok update,

I am still not able to tell, as the velvet marks are very faint. I have also checked the colors of the velvet compared to photos and its tough for me to notice the difference as the velvet colors seem to be all over the map in photos.

Is this set more valuable as an Old Type set or a New Improved? At this point I think that's how I will chose what razor to put in.

 

[MacDaddy]

This still doesn't explain why there is no "Made In..."

In the U.S., the "Made in U.S.A." wasn't added in most cases until around the time we were getting involved in WWI. The conventional understanding there is that with the growing anti-German sentiment Gillette wanted to more clearly separate itself from the large number of German-made shaving and cutlery products that were in the market. So it's possible that your set could be an American-made one from the transitional period around the mid to late '10s when they changed out the blade case style but hadn't yet added the "Made in U.S.A.," though I would think that's the less likely possibility in your situation.

The Canadian and British-made cases didn't consistently pick up the "Made in..." message until later on. (For example, here are American and Canadian versions of the same set.) I'm reasonable sure that they were consistent by the time that the New Improveds were out. (And even then most of the British sets had cases made in the U.S.) That's why I'd lean more towards yours being a Canadian Old Type set.

 

[alex2363]

In the U.S., the "Made in U.S.A." wasn't added in most cases until around the time we were getting involved in WWI. The conventional understanding there is that with the growing anti-German sentiment Gillette wanted to more clearly separate itself from the large number of German-made shaving and cutlery products that were in the market. So it's possible that your set could be an American-made one from the transitional period around the mid to late '10s when they changed out the blade case style but hadn't yet added the "Made in U.S.A.," though I would think that's the less likely possibility in your situation.

The Canadian and British-made cases didn't consistently pick up the "Made in..." message until later on. (For example, here are American and Canadian versions of the same set.) I'm reasonable sure that they were consistent by the time that the New Improveds were out. (And even then most of the British sets had cases made in the U.S.) That's why I'd lean more towards yours being a Canadian Old Type set.

Why advertise a American product and not a Canadian?

 

[Ace McCool]

Interesting. Thanks for the info. It was probably just a rush to get the Made in U.S.A on due to the war, then the Made in Canada followed.

So the big question, who has a Gold Old Type for sale?