Is this a Tiffany Gillette razor set? If so, how rare are they and what kind of value do they possess?
Tiffany Razor
- Thread starter beelzulbub
- Start date
looks just like this one on ebay 120465959551 
I have seen a few sell. Notably I saw one sell in the $700 range. Gold with all shipping materials.
- Thread starter
- #5
looks just like this one on ebay 120465959551
Yeah, that's the one.
So, the $130 selling price on the above was good?
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- #8
LOL not if you bought one last week for $700
Yeah, that would be a big drop in your investment, eh?
But I imagine the $700 gold version was probably solid gold, right?
Yeah, that would be a big drop in your investment, eh?
But I imagine the $700 gold version was probably solid gold, right?
Yep, solid gold.
I have seen one stamped to be sterling silver also.
Tiffany-Gillette? Can someone explain?
Did Tiffany customize some Gillette razors, or do you mean the Gillette style, but it's not actually Gillette-made?
Did Tiffany customize some Gillette razors, or do you mean the Gillette style, but it's not actually Gillette-made?
Yep, solid gold.
Couldn't be solid gold. Gold is too soft for an item like a razor. I have an 18K gold pocketwatch, and I have to be uber careful when closing it not to bend the lid. Solid gold would indicate something in the neighborhood of 24K, and you would not be able to tap and die that and have the threads hold up. It would more than likely be in the neighborhood of 10K.
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Could anyone with metallurgy experience chime in here? Is there a different process used for hardening gold for applications like this?
I believe there is some confusion between the terms "solid gold" which distinguishes the item from a gold plated item and "pure gold" which implys that the gold is 24k which is 100% gold.
The solid gold item, in this case a razor, may be a gold alloy with other metals such as silver and/or zinc which will make the material harder. In these cases the item will likely be stamped with a term such as "18k" or even as low as "10k". This implies that the item is made of an alloy consisting of 18/24 (3/4) gold or 10/24 (5/12) gold; the balance being other metals. The razor would still be considered to be "solid gold" as opposed to "gold plated".
Vertually any item made made of gold, be it jewelry, dental caps, electrical components or other such items are generally going to be something less than 24k gold, simply because 24k gold is just too soft to make such products from and have them not get bent up or worn out in very short order.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Tom
The solid gold item, in this case a razor, may be a gold alloy with other metals such as silver and/or zinc which will make the material harder. In these cases the item will likely be stamped with a term such as "18k" or even as low as "10k". This implies that the item is made of an alloy consisting of 18/24 (3/4) gold or 10/24 (5/12) gold; the balance being other metals. The razor would still be considered to be "solid gold" as opposed to "gold plated".
Vertually any item made made of gold, be it jewelry, dental caps, electrical components or other such items are generally going to be something less than 24k gold, simply because 24k gold is just too soft to make such products from and have them not get bent up or worn out in very short order.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Tom
It should also be noted that the minimum karat for something to be considered "gold" in the United States is 10 karat, meaning that it contains 10 parts gold, 14 parts alloy metal. I believe in the UK they stamp 9k gold? I'm not sure.
And also noted that not all gold stamped "10kt" is truly 10 karat. I've mentioned in other threads that I come from a family of pawnbrokers, and some pieces marked "10kt" test lower than that, sometimes as low as 8 karat. Also, anyone who can get online can purchase a set of steel punch stamps and mark just about anything they want "10kt," "14kt," "18kt," "24kt," etc. That is not to say that fancy razor isn't truly gold... but those car keys you found market "24kt?" Probably not.
That's true. Anything could be stamped. You should have seen my keys when I worked at a jewelry store. My case keys were 18k plated and my house key was rhodium plated. No stamp though.
this is not about Tiffany per say, but regarding gold. Many pieces of 19th and early 20th C jewelry also used "Gold Filled". They would be stamped as such, like "18k Gold Filled". This is many times thicker than gold plating, basicly a layer of solid gold over a sturdier base metal.
If the piece has no marking, then it would most likely be just gold plated. Tiffany was very good at marking their work, so if it really is a tiffany item, there should be marks.
You could probably research a tiffany catalog of the period to see if they offered razors, and if they did, what they were.
If the piece has no marking, then it would most likely be just gold plated. Tiffany was very good at marking their work, so if it really is a tiffany item, there should be marks.
You could probably research a tiffany catalog of the period to see if they offered razors, and if they did, what they were.
