So, a ball-end Old Type... or is it?

[Casey]

I scored what I thought was a ball-end Old Type on the Bay for the princely sum of $8. Problem is, I can't date it.

The only markings it has are the Gillette diamond and Made in USA. No date code or serial. Looks like the 102A head, body is either gold plate or quite uniformly brassed.

Any ideas?

 

[Casey]

Nobody?

 

[amishmotorboat]

Many had no serial numbers.

 

[DSB]

You'll get more answers if you post some photos, I suspect.

 

[RocketMan]

Yeah pics would help. Otherwise, it is the solid gold, 3 foot, candy filled tech I have in my mind!!

That would be the TechCandyGold'O'Matic - and I could be wrong on that!

 

[amishmotorboat]

Yeah pics would help. Otherwise, it is the solid gold, 3 foot, candy filled tech I have in my mind!!

That would be the TechCandyGold'O'Matic - and I could be wrong on that!

In some markets, perhaps, but I believe most people call it a piñata.

 

[RocketMan]

In some markets, perhaps, but I believe most people call it a piñata.

 

[Casey]

Pics, then.

They're the auction pics. I'm buffing the brass on it as we speak.

 

[amishmotorboat]

Yes, that's a ball-end old type.
unless candy fell out when you took the head off.

 

[kingfisher]

Yes, that's a ball-end old type.
unless candy fell out when you took the head off,

...in which case it's a pinata.

 

[amishmotorboat]

or a TechCandyGold'O'Matic

 

[Greybeard]

Pics, then.

They're the auction pics. I'm buffing the brass on it as we speak.

The head is definitely an Old Type but the handle is a mismatch from a Tech if that makes any difference to you.

 

[Casey]

The head is definitely an Old Type but the handle is a mismatch from a Tech if that makes any difference to you.

That explains why it was so inexpensive. I wonder if the swap was because the Old Type handle cracked.

Where might I be able to find an Old Type handle, just to complete it?

 

[Greybeard]

That explains why it was so inexpensive. I wonder if the swap was because the Old Type handle cracked.

Probably. It happened that way quite frequently.

Where might I be able to find an Old Type handle, just to complete it?

Post a WTB (Want to buy) here in the WTB section of the BST forum. Browse antique stores (the razor is pretty common) or eBay. The ball end handles on NEWS and Goodwills are the same thing and will fit although many of them have patent numbers and won't make an authentic match.
Finding a handle that doesn't have a crack is going to be the the problem. Over 90% of the handles will have a crack of some kind due to the manufacturing flaw.

 

[SmoovD]

Or you could shave with it as it. I have a few "frankenrazors" and find that they work well enough. Actually, I have the head of a New stuck on a no-name heavily weighted handle that is on the rotation. That thing is a beast.

 

[cmannen]

Hope I'm not hi-jacking the thread with this, i just won something similar, is this a a ball end old type?

 

[SmoovD]

Looks to be.

 

[akokandy]

Hope I'm not hi-jacking the thread with this, i just won something similar, is this a a ball end old type?

Looks like a ball-end old-type with the correct, thicker ball-end handle.

 

[AmishFury]

That explains why it was so inexpensive. I wonder if the swap was because the Old Type handle cracked.

Where might I be able to find an Old Type handle, just to complete it?

actually $8 is a fairly common price for an old type...

i just got a ball handle old type with case, blade box, and a few old blades for $8.49 shipped off ebay... of course if the case wasn't in such rough shape it probably would have been more expensive

and as i understand it starting in 1921 only the deluxe sets got serial numbers all other old types went without

 

[mr-razor]

...
and as i understand it starting in 1921 only the deluxe sets got serial numbers all other old types went without

since 1921 the New Improved razors comes with SN and the Old Types from 1921-1928 comes without SN.

1929 comes the NEW without SN. Only the NEW De Luxe from Oct.16 1930 to Feb. 1931 have SN.