Has The Fog Lifted On The Brit. #15 - #20 confusion?

[Stampede]

I just bought a British late 30's Aristocrat online and as usual I am not sure which one I am getting. Also, as usual, (at least for me) I had very few and very poor pictures and a poor description from the seller. I made an semi educated guess and decided to take the risk and ended up winning the auction. It also was sold to me out of Europe so I get to wait probably a month before I get to really see and evaluate what I have.

I was researching some earlier threads on these models and there seems to be a fair amount of confusion on how to determine which model these really are, even by those that own several of these razors. In one thread a Gent. had about 6 different versions of what he believed all to be either #15s or #20s if I remember right. There is a #19 on Mr. Razor's site which is Gold plated and it may be possible that it came in other colors as well i.e. silver or rhodium. There is also a #14 on there that looks a lot like the one that I bought.

The one I purchased is not gold. It is either silver or rhodium. It has the Brit. Pat. no. 400621 under the head. On the top ring of the handle it has the Brit Pat. no. 430030 and on the bottom ring of the handle it has the Gillette Diamond Logo. It also has the wings on the center bar. (Which it seems that some do not have the wings)

Here are the sellers pictures. If anyone has any theories or opinions as to which this is, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions. Also can anyone tell from these pictures if this one is Rhodium or Silver?



Here are some pics from MR-Razor

 

[Stampede]

 

[Stampede]

 

[Jeff_H]

I can't tell the difference between a #16, #19, #20, #66....I haven't paid enough attention to know. What I do know is that's a fine looking pre-war Gillette Tech in your first post. That thing should shave very nicely.

 

[Stampede]

Thanks Jeff, I'm thinking it's a #15 but I am hoping more guys that have these chime in with their thoughts. What did you think about the silver or rhodium on those pics of the one I bought?

 

[Jeff_H]

I think you can be about 95% certain that it's Rhodium. If it were silver I think you would see at least some tarnishing somewhere. There's too much shine for silver, IMO.

I really need to spend some time understanding the subtle differences between all of the Aristocrats. I absolutely love the way the English Aristocrats look. I realize the design is the same as the American version, but the Brit's always seem to put that little extra something into everything they do.

 

[Stampede]

I am kind of thinking along the same line. I have never had a Rhodium razor but according to the seller this razor hasn't been cleaned. I see a little bit of green in the Made In England stamp but that is about it. Most of the silver razors that I have come across that have not been cleaned have that sort of dark grayish patina develop on them.

 

[Jeff_H]

Exactly. Even the underside of that razor is shiny. If it were silver there would be some of that tarnish or patina, at least in some of the nooks and crannies on the underside. I'd never held a Rhodium razor until earlier this week. The differences are subtle, but if you hold it next to a nickel or a chrome razor, you can see the difference.

I'm sure you are going to love that razor. I was pleasantly surprised at how well mine shaved. Do you expect shipping to take a long time?

 

[Stampede]

I get to wait probably a month before I get to really see it. Expected delivery Dec. 02 - Dec. 18.

 

[Jeff_H]

I remember reading that in your initial post now. 30 days from Europe. That is a torturous wait. Hopefully shipping will be faster rather than slower. I've ordered Polisilver SI blades from dcc in Bulgaria twice now. Both times the blades have made it in less than 10 days. Hopefully your seller chooses his shipping method carefully and you get it soon. I'll be excited to hear what you think when you get it.

 

[StuMcB]

For my money it looks like my #15 Rodium Aristocrat. An absolutley superb razor. Weight, heft, angles, length and all the other stuff are just about right IMHO. Simply a great razor.

 

[tacchini]

i would go for rhodium as well, its hard to tell from a pic, but the handle has that white look that rhodium gives, with silver i would expect a kind of blackish look on a razor that age, a #15 i would say, harder to tell without the box, great looking razor anyway.

 

[DrAwkward]

I have the silver version. My guess is yours is rhodium.

 

[thekinge]

Bill, I posted about my silver plated British aristocrat and also posted a side by side picture with my Rhodium #15 razor here. The part of the head that goes through the base plate seems to be smaller and squarer in the silver plated aristocrat compared to the #15 as you can see in the second picture in my thread. Going by that (not very scientific), your razor appears to be a Rhodium plated #15.