They are somewhat getting rare.
When a Ben Hur razor is not an Apollo
- Thread starter Jake
- Start date
They are somewhat getting rare.
I think you are right, there could have been multiple reasons. I found some new information that seems to support your theory, that one very important factor involved really could have been the ongoing (and sadly escalating) war and that they had to increasingly focus on the european market.
I was wrong about one thing, I assumed that there is only one Herkenrath Company, but look what I have found:
http://www.hugo-herkenrath.de
http://www.apollo-herkenrath.de
On the Hugo Herkenrath page there is a short description of the Company history. Hugo Herkenrath was the first Company, founded in 1905 (like it is written on the invoice from 1935; at that time the Company was called Friedrich Herkenrath, I havn't found an explanation, but I guess it's not very likely that two different Herkenrath Companies were founded in 1905). Export was an important factor for their business and they used steel from Sheffield ("Kayser-Ellison-Steel") to produce high quality scissors. I looks like at some point around the year 1940 a member of the Herkenrath family founded Apollo and they produced safety razors and blades. From that point on Hugo Herkenrath must have focused it's business on straight razors and scissors.
That is some good research work, i admire your efforts, i will book mark this page and credit you and mblakele when using it....
Sources:
Websites:
http://www.hugo-herkenrath.de/tradition.html
http://www.apollo-herkenrath.de/
http://forum.nassrasur.com/showtopic.php?threadid=5344&pagenum=1#threadpost000007
Pictures and Scans:
http://up.picr.de/16869683ml.jpg
http://up.picr.de/16927554gu.jpg
http://up.picr.de/16927555og.jpg
Patents:
http://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=pdf&docid=DE000001308278U
http://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=pdf&docid=DE000000526760A
http://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=pdf&docid=DE000000663800A
http://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=pdf&docid=DE000000812402B
http://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=pdf&docid=DE000001030221A
Trade mark:
http://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/marke/register/563164/DE
Books:
Helmut Beermann: Solingen, ein Streifzug durch fünf Jahrhunderte Messer und Klingen. Martor, Solingen 1993
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Great research there! Very much appreciated! Now, I have this problem of locating a Ben-Hur slant. Such is the life of a RAD junkie.
This is ideal for any Apollo razor buff.
I agree! Those old German slants are just works of art. I am very pleased I picked up an Apollo from an extremely nice B&B member when I did. That Ben-Hur in the original post has me drooling.
"Ben-Hur Rasierklingen sind aus dem echtem Kayser-Ellison [K.E.] Stahl hergestellt"
= Ben-Hur DE blades are produced from genuine Kayser-Ellison [K.E.] steel.
Hugo Herkenrath used the steel from Sheffield to produce scissors and Friedrich Herkenrath used it for blades.
There are some more pictures on this site:
http://www.littlegun.be/arme belge/artisans identifies s/a schlemmer prosper fr.htm
Gorgeous, simply gorgeous.
Reviving this thread because this seems to be where Apollo history is discussed.
In @Jake s excellent presentation of his Matador adjustable, @jmudrick showed some Herckenrathpatents one of which is probably interesting here.
The GB485747-patent descibes a slant razor with a topcap attached to the baseplate with a hinge, and room for blades in the handle:
Compare that patent with the following razor, where the similarities with the description and especially Fig 1 are very obvious:
The last picture shows patents are pending. The GB485747 is applied for early february 1938, and granted late may 1938. Since this patent was applied for certainly in Germany (not yet found) and possibly in other countries as well, the plural can be explained. It would also suggest the Apollo-brand was used by Herckenrath during the applicationperiod, ie first half of 1938.
In @Jake s excellent presentation of his Matador adjustable, @jmudrick showed some Herckenrathpatents one of which is probably interesting here.
The GB485747-patent descibes a slant razor with a topcap attached to the baseplate with a hinge, and room for blades in the handle:
Compare that patent with the following razor, where the similarities with the description and especially Fig 1 are very obvious:
The last picture shows patents are pending. The GB485747 is applied for early february 1938, and granted late may 1938. Since this patent was applied for certainly in Germany (not yet found) and possibly in other countries as well, the plural can be explained. It would also suggest the Apollo-brand was used by Herckenrath during the applicationperiod, ie first half of 1938.
- Thread starter
- #32
Fantastic information and I am glad you were able to acquire that unique and extremely rare Apollo/Ben Hur razor -- similar to the similar Fasan "one" piece I have. Wonder whether there were connections among the engineers from these 2 companies. Regardless, the Apollo you are displaying above is a very impressive example of the design ingenuity of these German razor makers. Thanks for sharing that here.
Thanks. Your Fasan is a stunning razor and one I've been on the lookout for ever since you've shown yours.
You've obviously noticed the family-resemblance between my Apollo one-piece and the Apollo humpback slant you've shown here once? Here are mine:
Another interesting piece of history is a Hans Jarke mailordercatalogue that the internet dates 1934-1936 that I have. It shows a "Zweischnitt" razor that is a copy of the all-brown bakelite Apollo
You've obviously noticed the family-resemblance between my Apollo one-piece and the Apollo humpback slant you've shown here once? Here are mine:
Another interesting piece of history is a Hans Jarke mailordercatalogue that the internet dates 1934-1936 that I have. It shows a "Zweischnitt" razor that is a copy of the all-brown bakelite Apollo
- Thread starter
- #34
Very cool catalog. Do you have one of those Apollos? I think I have one in that case, will look for it and see. Wonder who they were emulating with that design? Or were they simply experimenting with that radical design? Bakelite. Slant. Light weight. All unusual and innovative designs for that period in history. Especially with the Brits and Yanks making those heavy weight highly engineered nickel, gold, or rhodium plated over brass shavers. Wonder how successful they were. And how much market share did they gain with these razors?Thanks. Your Fasan is a stunning razor and one I've been on the lookout for ever since you've shown yours.
You've obviously noticed the family-resemblance between my Apollo one-piece and the Apollo humpback slant you've shown here once? Here are mine:
Another interesting piece of history is a Hans Jarke mailordercatalogue that the internet dates 1934-1936 that I have. It shows a "Zweischnitt" razor that is a copy of the all-brown bakelite Apollo
I'll look for my Apollo Bakelite slant. Please display yours if you've got one too. And thanks for displaying those other very nice Apollo "humpback" slants.
@Jake these are my slants, I only show razors I own 
Three different boxes, three different colorschemes, two razors (middle and right) with differential aggression, those same two razors with the Apollobrand on the razor.
Left is model 211, right is model 311, middle I don't know. All have a metal topcap, and the white material is called pollopas, a duroplast as is the brown bakelite. All three are two-piece razors.
Three different boxes, three different colorschemes, two razors (middle and right) with differential aggression, those same two razors with the Apollobrand on the razor.
Left is model 211, right is model 311, middle I don't know. All have a metal topcap, and the white material is called pollopas, a duroplast as is the brown bakelite. All three are two-piece razors.
- Thread starter
- #36
Another of those Apollo sets, with a cousin coming from the Sonnal genotype. The Apollo model 311, as you've named it above, is similar but not exactly the same as the apparent copy from Sonnal. Interesting style -- chunky and well made -- IMHO.
First up, the Apollo Bakelite slant.
No doubt an Apollo branded set.
And it's slanted cousin.
I've a few other Sonnal razor sets, but none compare to this one. The others are metal, likely brass.
Thought I'd simply add to the discussion. Vintage and history -- out of the time machine.
First up, the Apollo Bakelite slant.
No doubt an Apollo branded set.
And it's slanted cousin.
I've a few other Sonnal razor sets, but none compare to this one. The others are metal, likely brass.
Thought I'd simply add to the discussion. Vintage and history -- out of the time machine.
Hi @Jake
Your Apollo is nice and interesting, as it is branded Apollo, where my all-brown one is not. Could suggest mine is the Zweischnitt shown in the Hans Jarke catalogue.
My all-white, Apollo-branded, razor is the 311, identified by someone who has the wrapper. The brown razor with white baseplate, also Apollo-branded, is the 211, according to its box. The all-brown one I don't know the modelnumber of.
Your Sonnal is very pretty as well. Nice humpback. I have the same, except in brown bakelite, came in a bakelite box. Difference between the Sonnal and the Apollo's of course is that the Sonnal is not torqued, it is only slanted. In my personnal vocabulary that makes the Sonnal a diagonal, and the Apollo's slants. And yes, I know the terms are more or less synonymous.
Your Apollo is nice and interesting, as it is branded Apollo, where my all-brown one is not. Could suggest mine is the Zweischnitt shown in the Hans Jarke catalogue.
My all-white, Apollo-branded, razor is the 311, identified by someone who has the wrapper. The brown razor with white baseplate, also Apollo-branded, is the 211, according to its box. The all-brown one I don't know the modelnumber of.
Your Sonnal is very pretty as well. Nice humpback. I have the same, except in brown bakelite, came in a bakelite box. Difference between the Sonnal and the Apollo's of course is that the Sonnal is not torqued, it is only slanted. In my personnal vocabulary that makes the Sonnal a diagonal, and the Apollo's slants. And yes, I know the terms are more or less synonymous.
- Thread starter
- #38
Thanks for your further clarification. And I agree that the nomenclature with slants, twists, diagonals -- they are not well defined but we can establish this vocabulary now. Do doubt the former marketing teams for these "radical" designs were also challenged to arrive at terminology that identified unique benefits and features -- representing the engineering teams best new designs. And now we're there again -- with cartridges on one side, and smallish craftsmen making creative designs for a much smaller market. And those few of us digging through the vintage baskets and discovering history. It's fun.
Now I'm reviving this thread, and deeply saddened by the pics that won't load any longerReviving this thread because this seems to be where Apollo history is discussed.
In @Jake s excellent presentation of his Matador adjustable, @jmudrick showed some Herckenrathpatents one of which is probably interesting here.
The GB485747-patent descibes a slant razor with a topcap attached to the baseplate with a hinge, and room for blades in the handle:
Compare that patent with the following razor, where the similarities with the description and especially Fig 1 are very obvious:
The last picture shows patents are pending. The GB485747 is applied for early february 1938, and granted late may 1938. Since this patent was applied for certainly in Germany (not yet found) and possibly in other countries as well, the plural can be explained. It would also suggest the Apollo-brand was used by Herckenrath during the applicationperiod, ie first half of 1938.
.I recently added a mini Apollo collection to my collection. The Apollo Fix, I believe, is the hinge cap patent you mentioned above:
An Apollo DE, which has the proprietary curved head...and off center notches so even if you wanted to try a rectangular blade, you couldn't.:
Last, but not least, a bakelite Ben-Hur travel razor:
Here's the whole gang.
Nice collection @Old School TSD
The Apollo Fix is a different razor from the mostly bakelite slant with built in the handle blade storage I showed earlier. However: I am on the lookout for one as I like the fix. Here's the one I showed earlier:
The razor with proprietary blades is NOT of the same family as the Ben Hur/Apollo from Germany. The proprietary ones are from France. Different brand, different factory, different producer. They are, however, interesting. I like the smile the blade has, and the real flat baseplate. Also, the fact that they had blades from damast steel.
The Apollo Fix is a different razor from the mostly bakelite slant with built in the handle blade storage I showed earlier. However: I am on the lookout for one as I like the fix. Here's the one I showed earlier:
The razor with proprietary blades is NOT of the same family as the Ben Hur/Apollo from Germany. The proprietary ones are from France. Different brand, different factory, different producer. They are, however, interesting. I like the smile the blade has, and the real flat baseplate. Also, the fact that they had blades from damast steel.
