Thomas Jefferson's straight razor

[Bjlefebvre]

We took the kids this weekend to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. His bedroom had a collection of things on a table - including a brush, straight razor and what I'm assuming is a shaving bowl. Just for gits and shiggles, here's a photo. I couldn't get a closer shot unfortunately. Full disclosure - I'm not 100% sure this was actually his. Apparently he was so in debt when he died the subsequent owners had to auction off a lot of his things to pay his creditors. The guide said about 50-60 percent of the items inside the home were original but I forgot to ask her if she knew whether his shaving kit was actually his or not.

Anywho:

 

[Bjlefebvre]

One thing that really hit me was how short he was (as were most Americans back then compared to nowadays). I mean, I knew from seeing old Civil War uniforms at the battle sites around here that most people circa 18th and 19th centuries were quite a bit shorter than now. His bed looked big enough to fit my 11-year-old son, and even then not with enough room to be comfortable. His eye glasses (also on the table) looked tiny! Made me think that back in that time a 5/8" razor must have been a chopper.

I also did not ask the tour guide re: his razor "Wait, only one? Where's the rest of them!?"

 

[APBinNCA]

About the razor, somebody posted previously, but I can't remember now what they said. I think it was somebody that talked to the curator, I am sure they will see this eventually. Shape wise, it looks right, but I think it's a later civil war era razor. The bowl is almost certainly just for water, a slave would have have brought it in since there wasn't running water. The thing with the bed, I think he used to sleep semi upright, was more a thing with Edwardians much later. I should know all about this stuff, but I am apparently finally forgetting things.

 

[Bjlefebvre]

Yeah, I'm kind of kicking myself for not asking. But then again, in the moment I kept thinking, "Don't be the guy who geeks out on the straight razor."

 

[Kyle89]

6'2" is short?? That's literally a foot taller than me

Always loved seeing glasses from that era. Different time.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I once visited the Dewint House in Tappan, NY (where George Washington stayed), and the tour guide said that George Washington slept semi upright to help the ashes/particulate matter from the fireplace drain down his trachea/windpipe. George's bed was quite short.

 

[5whiskey]

Thomas Jefferson died in 1826 (July 4th, interestingly enough). That razor is obviously a frame back razor. Did they make frame back razors then? I don't think they did honestly, but I admit to not being fully in the know.

 

[J B Addis]

Thomas Jefferson died in 1826 (July 4th, interestingly enough). That razor is obviously a frame back razor. Did they make frame back razors then? I don't think they did honestly, but I admit to not being fully in the know.

I've seen tube-spine type framebacks attributed to the 1820s, but I'm uncertain about the swiss-type which appears to be pictured here. The tang shape looks more recent, but looks certainly aren't conclusive.

 

[slimshavy]

Were people at that time, and in Jefferson's position, shaving themselves? I figured that aristocrats would have servants (slaves, in Jefferson's case) shaving them and that working people would go to barbers for a shave weekly, or as their budgets allowed.

 

[DrStrange]

Were people at that time, and in Jefferson's position, shaving themselves? I figured that aristocrats would have servants (slaves, in Jefferson's case) shaving them and that working people would go to barbers for a shave weekly, or as their budgets allowed.

Even if Jefferson was shaved by a slave or by a servant,
it still would have been Jefferson's razor
and shaving gear.

 

[slimshavy]

Even if Jefferson was shaved by a slave or by a servant,
it still would have been Jefferson's razor
and shaving gear.

Yes, I'm wondering what shaving was like for someone of Jefferson's day, and for Jefferson in particular. If he didn't actually have his own personal razor but this was one of the razors that was used to shave him, it's still a pretty cool piece of history. I'm hoping someone knows enough about shaving history to inform me.

 

[Bjlefebvre]

6'2" is short?? That's literally a foot taller than me

Always loved seeing glasses from that era. Different time.

Is that how tall he was? Crickey that is tall. The bed and then a statue of him that was barely taller than my 9-year-old daughter made me think he was shorter.

Looking at the Monticello page, you are correct. And I guess the average height wasn't that off from today's. Huh. The more you know....

 

[PWJ]

”Yeah right, so that’s definitely not Jefferson’s razor. That Swiss-type frameback razor wasn’t made back when Jefferson was alive. What are you guys up to here?”

*Gasp in audience*

Next day in the newspaper: “Monticello exhibition temporarily closed as curator found to have replaced Jefferson’s personal items with anachronistic objects from a local antique store”

Gotta write history when you get the opportunity

 

[Bjlefebvre]

”Yeah right, so that’s definitely not Jefferson’s razor. That Swiss-type frameback razor wasn’t made back when Jefferson was alive. What are you guys up to here?”

*Gasp in audience*

Next day in the newspaper: “Monticello exhibition temporarily closed as curator found to have replaced Jefferson’s personal items with anachronistic objects from a local antique store”

Gotta write history when you get the opportunity

You know, I saw that was a frameback but wasn't sure to make of that. I know next-to-nothing about that subtype. That's funny.

 

[PWJ]

You know, I saw that was a frameback but wasn't sure to make of that. I know next-to-nothing about that subtype. That's funny.

I know nothing about it either I just tried to envision a scenario where the razor geekery saves the day

 

[J B Addis]

You know, I saw that was a frameback but wasn't sure to make of that. I know next-to-nothing about that subtype. That's funny.

I know nothing about it either I just tried to envision a scenario where the razor geekery saves the day

I referred it it as a swiss-type because the earliest directly named reference to that design I've seen is the Wostenholm Improved Swiss, patent date 1850 (this doesn't mean there's not an even older name I haven't encountered yet, to be clear). The real question is when exactly the Swiss started making them.

 

[APBinNCA]

I referred it it as a swiss-type because the earliest directly named reference to that design I've seen is the Wostenholm Improved Swiss, patent date 1850

Yep, that's the one! I didn't feel like going to look it up to confirm so I just called it Civil War era. I believe they were still using cast blades in Jefferson's era.

 

[Matt O]

Thomas Jefferson died in 1826 (July 4th, interestingly enough). That razor is obviously a frame back razor. Did they make frame back razors then? I don't think they did honestly, but I admit to not being fully in the know.

I have a frameback marked “WADE” which I believe was before Butcher came along…so that would be a frameback from about this time I think.

 

[J B Addis]

I have a frameback marked “WADE” which I believe was before Butcher came along…so that would be a frameback from about this time I think.

Is it a tube-spine type or a fully enclosed swiss type though? I have a similar early wade and butcher tube-spine, but that's not the type at the exhibit as pictured.

 

[Matt O]

Is it a tube-spine type or a fully enclosed swiss type though? I have a similar early wade and butcher tube-spine, but that's not the type at the exhibit as pictured.

I will go find it in a little bit! I can’t remember to be honest. It is not an impressive razor, I just picked it up because I thought it was neat, and I like Wade & Butcher razors.