Guide to American Button Company Pocket Edition Sets: Part Two - Cases

[KeenDogg]

The razor serial no. is B776821. It came with it's original felt pouch also.

I have 5 ABC sets and 4 Gillette sets. This one is the most pristine of them. I picked it up from eBay seller "ka-ching13" back in 2010. Here is part of what she put in the listing at the time:

"I recently came across a fabulous collection of old barber stuff that belonged to traveling salesman. Many, Many years ago he collected only the finest he could find. With most of it mint or very near mint. Now this collection is being offered for sale for the first time. I have safety razors, straight razors, stroppers, and some really cool stuff......"

I was lucky enough to win several items she listed over a few weeks time back then. Here are two more..

View attachment 654360 View attachment 654361

View attachment 654362 View attachment 654369 View attachment 654365

Beautiful.

 

[Ad Astra]

Bump to add my new Empire case and Shell razor to this important historical thread.








AA

 

[Mwatersh2o]

Just picked up an ABC Floral & Empire silver sets for $300....and a basket weave gold set for $40...overpriced? pics to follow and I'm hoping it'll be a nice start to my collection.

 

[KeenDogg]

Just picked up an ABC Floral & Empire silver sets for $300....and a basket weave gold set for $40...overpriced? pics to follow and I'm hoping it'll be a nice start to my collection.

Welcome to the forum. We don't comment on value here, but I'd say they are nice pick ups and can't wait for the pictures!

Kindly,
Adam

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Mwatersh2o]

Just picked up an ABC Floral & Empire set in silver. pics to follow and I'm hoping it'll be a nice start to my collection.

 

[romsitsa]

Hello,

another long shot and looking for some help
I posted earlier a vesta style blade bank, that is thinner than the "regular" one.
While sorting my boxes I found a similar "thin" one in an ABC pocket set from 1909.

I'm curious wether early or all ABC sets came with a thinner blade bank, so could you please check your examples?

The depth of regular blade banks is (left): 12 mm

While for "thin" ones (right): 10 mm

Adam

 

[Useless shaver]

@romsitsa

Adam, here's my only ABC, so far (they are expensive the @#*! things...). It's a G 066621.

The blade bank measures 10 mm.

Waiting for your conclusions!

 

[romsitsa]

Hello Juan,

thank you, nice British one.
I can't draw any conclusions right now, just hope a pattern will emerge.
One of my sets has the thin bank, others the regular one, but I don't know if
-some ABCs were prouduced with thin banks
-all ABCs were produced with thin banks, but some got lost and were replaced with regular ones
-why was it thinner, how many blades came with ABC sets at all

Adam

 

[andy71]

dear all,
I have two basket abc set: the first is an abc set with patent number and push button w/ 4 rivets and the second one (new acquisition) is an older one with patent dates and latch style opening (in fact I have also a floreal set). As known the "new" one is thicker than the other ones but while i was cleaning the older basket case and its razor, I noted another difference: the silver plating was clearly much thicker compared to my other sets.
In your opinion do you think it's just my personal feeling, it can depend on the state of the set or there are some real differences in plating between earlier and later sets?
thaks,
andrea

 

[Buick48]

This is merely my assumption, but I have long thought that the plating on the ABC sets was of a higher quality, as well as thicker, than on the Gillette made Pocket Edition sets. I have 35 Gillette made sets and 50+ ABC sets to compare with.... I am really happy to have my opinion vindicated.

Cheers,
Kevin

 

[andy71]

dear kevin,

this is the "later" set. the razor seem to me to be older then the case (B17666). what do you thimk about the case: abc or not?
Thanks.

PS: I just receive a leather set. I'll post the first pics in the next few hours.

 

[Buick48]

Andy ~

That is an exceptionally nice late 1909 set. The four rivet latch case was introduced in late 1909, so the razor is most likely original to the case. It is certainly an ABC set.
The case has, what is called by Gillette, "plush lining", which was, at the time, an additional option. You are also fortunate to have the ribbon/tape. Many have lost these over the years. Five digit serial numbers are also less frequently seen, and are fun to collect.
Enjoy!

Kevin

 

[romsitsa]

And it has the line emblem, in yellow, but a B serial.

Adam

 

[andy71]

ok but what about inscription with patents number instead of patent dates

 

[romsitsa]

Hello,

what exactly is the plating of gun metal ABC cases? It looks and behaves like black nickel, but maybe there was another process to reach a similar finish.

Thank you

Adam

 

[Buick48]

A gunmetal finish is a dark blue/black oxide coating. Until the 1920's the process involved cyanide, and was a very dangerous, time consuming, and labor intense process; not to mention that it could not be done in a high volume. It was, most likely, for these reasons that Gillette discontinued the gunmetal finish sets when they took over the manufacture of the Pocket Edition sets.

 

[Buick48]

1910 Gunmetal Finish

 

[romsitsa]

Thank you Kevin, your description also sounds like black nickel was used.

Yours

Adam

 

[Morman Bridge]

1910 Gunmetal FinishView attachment 859086 View attachment 859087

Wow, beautiful Empire set Kevin! Very nice!

 

[Old School TSD]

What a great thread, I'm surprised it's been inactive so long, but I've got some ABC vs Gillette questions.
From what I've read ABC cases have the engraving on the bottom of the case and Gillette made sets do not.
I've also read that Gillette cases patch has the "made in USA" on it and ABC patches are the gold on blue without "made in USA" on them.
SOOOO, here's my question: Does it always mean the case is made by Gillette w/o engraving on the bottom of the case?
I ask because I've got a shell razor (C70023, basket weave case and match strike blade bank) in a case WITH the blue on gold label (not "made in USA") and NO ENGRAVING on the bottom. Seems ABC due to the patch and Gillette due to the lack of engraving on the bottom.
Additionally, it's the 4 rivet push button case.

TIA!
Mike