What's new

Gold Rockets: US and British

Got 2 Rockets. One is an American Milord, the other, British, should be an Anniversary Set #52A in anodized gold finish aluminum. Could not find many information about either. Those available, especially for the American, are quite obviously not credible. Both seem unused.
IMG_0844.jpeg
IMG_0845.jpeg
IMG_0846.jpeg
IMG_0847.jpeg
Not shaved with either and concern to ruin finish.
 

KeenDogg

Slays On Fleek - For Rizz
Sweet scores! You don't see those too often.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
Besides the handle it is the only US made Gillette to use British style endcaps. The American Rocket far as I know if yours isn't one of those 2 way over priced ones on ebay would make 6 I know of besides the one I own. There are probably more than that but they are pretty scarce if the production date of only during 49 is correct. I don't know what you paid for yours but I paid a little under $100 for mine. Out of curiosity does yours say Pat Nos on Pkg or Package under the center bar?

Here are some pics of mine which is user grade and has a lot of shave time on it from the looks of the condition.
rocket2.jpg rocket4.jpg

Personally I like the way this razor shaves, you would be remiss to not at least use it once in awhile. Besides It looks like yours was re-plated so I wouldn't even be concerned about using it if is. It will be more durable than the original gold wash.
 
Last edited:
...Those available, especially for the American, are quite obviously not credible. ...
I don't follow what you mean by "not credible". Fake? Replated? Wrong cases?
Not shaved with either and concern to ruin finish.
That wouldn't stop me.
I just watched an ad for Infiniti cars. Their tagline was "Luxury should be lived in."
 
Besides the handle it is the only US made Gillette to use British style endcaps. The American Rocket far as I know if yours isn't one of those 2 way over priced ones on ebay would make 6 I know of besides the one I own. There are probably more than that but they are pretty scarce if the production date of only during 49 is correct. I don't know what you paid for yours but I paid a little under $100 for mine. Out of curiosity does yours say Pat Nos on Pkg or Package under the center bar?

Here are some pics of mine which is user grade and has a lot of shave time on it from the looks of the condition.
View attachment 926855 View attachment 926856

Personally I like the way this razor shaves, you would be remiss to not at least use it once in awhile. Besides It looks like yours was re-plated so I wouldn't even be concerned about using it if is. It will be more durable than the original gold wash.
I don't follow what you mean by "not credible". Fake? Replated? Wrong cases?

That wouldn't stop me.
I just watched an ad for Infiniti cars. Their tagline was "Luxury should be lived in."

I knew that the razor was not common and I paid $300, still a lot but I liked the razor. I read few reviews in which the American Rocket was described as an ultra rare razor, only less than ten available, or something like that. Is this possible or is just a method to justify the over price being requested? ($1,000). I was referring to this John. I was hoping to get more feedback on this issue when I posted this. BBS-1 you seem to know more about it. Pat Nos on Package is under the center bar.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Got 2 Rockets. One is an American Milord, the other, British, should be an Anniversary Set #52A in anodized gold finish aluminum. Could not find many information about either. Those available, especially for the American, are quite obviously not credible. Both seem unused. View attachment 926273 View attachment 926274 View attachment 926275 View attachment 926276 Not shaved with either and concern to ruin finish.
Very nice find, I have 2 British Rockets and they are very nice shavers IMO. If you want to find a lot of great information on Gillette Rockets just go to google and type "Gillette Rocket, the refined DE".
Rockets I picked up this summer at Antique store are left and right ones.
Central Alberta razors.JPG
 
I knew that the razor was not common and I paid $300, still a lot but I liked the razor. I read few reviews in which the American Rocket was described as an ultra rare razor, only less than ten available, or something like that. Is this possible or is just a method to justify the over price being requested? ($1,000). I was referring to this John. I was hoping to get more feedback on this issue when I posted this. BBS-1 you seem to know more about it. Pat Nos on Package is under the center bar.

Whether it is 10 or not they are up there in rarity with the bottom dial (the one that was sold to the public not the prototype one) fat boy for US made Gillettes. 1 year maybe 1 quarter production for that year if even a full production run. There are other 1 year models but unlike these 2 there most likely were sold in multiple markets and hence more around like the US 47 Artistocrat Jr for example.
 
Here are the gold (Rockets) that I've found so far. I sold one of the American rockets I had, at one time I had 2. Mine has pat. nos. on package.
so bottom row left to right:
British rocket
Gold Aristocrat Jr
Gold British TV Special
Top row
American Rocket
British #52A
20181110_133753.jpg
20181110_133645.jpg
I'm
 
Here are the gold (Rockets) that I've found so far. I sold one of the American rockets I had, at one time I had 2. Mine has pat. nos. on package.
so bottom row left to right:
British rocket
Gold Aristocrat Jr
Gold British TV Special
Top row
American Rocket
British #52A
View attachment 927025 View attachment 927031 I'm

Nice razors, unless the TV Special was re-plated, I never knew that there was a gold plated version of that one. Every American Rocket I've seen or written about all fall into the 47/48 - 50 production window. I am also pretty sure there are some American Rocket heads that got recycled with the American style end caps onto a few 40s style Super Speed Milords. I've had an oddball Milord that I could never quite figure out what it was until I acquired the American Rocket. It doesn't shave like any other comparable razor from that time frame. Once I shaved it against the Rocket they are about the same so I am going with the recycled parts thing unless someone can prove otherwise. The only way to spot is to do a base plate letter orientation test and compare it to another 40s style super speed Milord or 40s style NDC Super Speed.
 
It would be one thing if the American Rocket was produced as a prototype in a small quantity. Obviously Gillette placed these razors into the stream of commerce since they show up with period correct cases. I suspect that the actual production figures were a lot greater than has been suggested. The two listed on ebay right now are ridiculous listings with lousy photos and inept description. There are likely to be there for a long time.
 
It would be one thing if the American Rocket was produced as a prototype in a small quantity. Obviously Gillette placed these razors into the stream of commerce since they show up with period correct cases. I suspect that the actual production figures were a lot greater than has been suggested. The two listed on ebay right now are ridiculous listings with lousy photos and inept description. There are likely to be there for a long time.

More likely sold in a limited market as a retail sales test before being pulled. Same deal as the bottom dial fatboy. My guess is if it was sold in a wider market you'd see more of them come up for sale or being showed off by collectors like you do with other 1 year models and probably not a full production year model like the 47 US Aristocrat Jr styled Milord. If it was a full production year then the 46 Ranger Tech styled Milord.
 
Top Bottom