is there a Pocket edition rabbit hole?

[Nobeard]

I just received an ABC Pocket edition, both the razor and case are the shell pattern. The razor has no date code and an imprint says 'Made in Germany' The teeth are the square cut pattern rather than the rounded teeth. There is also a small imprint that looks like a styalized 'P', kind of.

Would this be a 1903? Which had no serial numbers.
What about the 'Made in Germany' ?

 

[romsitsa]

Hello, pockets sets were introduced in or later then 1908, there was no German Gillette factory before the 20ies, so it’s either a mismatched comb or a mismatched head.

Adam

 

[Nobeard]

Thanks Adam. Of course, that makes perfect sense. I guess that I got a mismatch

 

[Nobeard]

In shopping for and buying these ABC Pocket editions I an seeing so far that the shell pattern razor is by far the most common. Thats just for the razor. The cases seem to be populated by a bigger variety of the styles.

I've seen that the ABC basketweave pattern case is deeper and more ornate that the basketweave pattern for the Gillette version that came later.

 

[romsitsa]

Actually the pocket edition cases are deeper/thicker than ABC ones. And while there is only one floral, scroll and empire handle pattern, there are three or four pillar variants for shell and leather wrapped cases...

Adam

 

[Nobeard]

Actually the pocket edition cases are deeper/thicker than ABC ones. And while there is only one floral, scroll and empire handle pattern, there are three or four pillar variants for shell and leather wrapped cases...

Adam

You are correct. The shell/pillar pattern razor can go with the shell case, but also goes nicely with the plain, the basket weave, and the leather boxes.
And I have notices that there are 3 variations on the pillar razor.

But as I shop for these its getting to be funny when I note that "OK its another shell razor"

I'm finding it interesting to see the 3 different latch types also. It seems like the older units are more likely to have the latch rather than the 2 push button opener.

 

[romsitsa]

The latch was the first, but it’s pretty poor (case can pop upen without further notice). Guess Gillette realised it early (-1910) and went with the four rivet button, later even further simplyfying the design.

Adam

 

[Nobeard]

I saw that another thing that applies to the ABC pocket editions is the 2 posts are more rounded than some other razors. Do you know if that is an absolute fact or not? I have one that has the more pointed posts. But it sure looks as if it fits in perfectly and looks contemporaneous with the rest of the razor.

 

[romsitsa]

Rule of thumb is ABC caps have rounded studs, while “Gillette” (old type) caps bullet type/pointy studs. The length of the studs can vary, I had long and short studs and someone also had one with a long/short stud.

Adam

 

[Nobeard]

I have one with the more pointed caps. So someone, in the 111 year history of the set switched the top part. Bummer

 

[Nobeard]

I know that I am a new collector of the ABC pocket editions and that my knowledge is quite shallow so I don't want to step in as any kind of an expert

That said, I now notice more things when I am looking thru the listings of items for sale.
There is an item with the very high asking price of $699.95 on ebay. Its a pocket edition with a pigskin case. Now I've read that the leather cases are rare and rare costs money. But I noticed that the 2 posts on this razor are not rounded, but rather pointed.

It seems like such a high asking price is aiming at the ABC pocket collectors rather that the gillette pocket editions which came later. And I know enough to not speak in absolutes that there were no pointed posts for ABC pocket editions. Because I don't yet know that absolutely.

But it looks to me like this is not an ABC pocket edition.

 

[romsitsa]

It’s a unicorn, price depends on how bad one wants a unicorn. It shouldn’t be matching, but looks to be matching. And it has a US stamped cap, this is very rare on it’s own.


Adam