"When purchasing a razor ask for a Bismarck and see that you get it.

[Haegar]

I've got a straight razor that belonged to my grandfather (b. 1901), maybe not his first one, or maybe it was (I should have asked him more than 20 years ago).

As you can see it is not a fancy one, but its a pretty cool heirloom.
Maybe some day I'll get it back to working condition.

 

[Haegar]

The box:



- - -

The Bismarck Razor is highly recommended. Its quality is superior
to that of any other. The brand is well known and its introduction
in record time is due solely to its merits. It is used by Barbers
with the greatest satisfaction as well as private individuals. The
Bismarck razor is made of the very best ??????? silver steel and
is hollow ground ???er ????t control. Every razor is guaranteed.

Edit:​

The Bismarck Razor is highly recommended. Its quality is superior
to that of any other. The brand is well known and its introduction
in record time is due solely to its merits. It is used by Barbers
with the greatest satisfaction as well as private individuals. The
Bismarck razor is made of the very best english silver steel and
is hollow ground under expert control. Every razor is guaranteed.

- - -

View attachment 362318

Directions for use.-- Before using the razor, trop it carefully
as by so doing it will not be necessary to have it set or ground. When
shaving, lay the razor flat as possible on the surface of the skin,
there is less risk of cutting yourself if this is done. After use,
clean and dry the razor and wipe the blade so as to keep it
polished. Always use good quality shaving soap free from soda.
When purchasing a razor ask for a Bismarck and see that you get it.

 

[Hangten]

Very cool! What a great heirloom! Those are the best kind of razors!

 

[Darkbulb]

To fill in your question marks:

The Bismarck Razor is highly recommended. It's quality is superior to that of any other. The brand is well known and it's introduction in record time is due solely to it's merits. It is used by Barbers with the greatest satisfaction as well as private individuals. The Bismarck is made of the very best english silver steel and is hollow ground under expert control. Every razor is guaranteed

 

[Giant Kiwi]

Nice one.
Lucky man Haegar

 

[Slash McCoy]

It is much too old and dangerous. Even the coffin is falling apart. Please do yourself a favor and send it to me for safe and proper disposal.

 

[Oscroft]

Very nice razor in its own right - but very special coming from your grandfather

 

[Haegar]

Thanks everybody for your kind comments!

To fill in your question marks:
<snip>

Special thanks for providing the solution to this enigma!
I have updated to the original post #2 accordingly.

It is much too old and dangerous. Even the coffin is falling apart. Please do yourself a favor and send it to me for safe and proper disposal.

You are absolutely right, but unfortunately I am not allowed to ship weapons or other potentially dangerous / hazardous goods.

 

[Haegar]

Now I too have found the complete transcribed text (in another thread here on the B&B forum), but the accompanying picture is so blurry that nothing can be read.

Searching further I found somewhere else a picture of a sold razor with this kind of box. Interestingly, here also the the word before "silver steel" was missing:


Source: etsy.com

 

[Brianskeet]

Nice looking razor and it looks like it wouldn't take much have it ready to put to use!

 

[JLuger]

Beautiful razor, get it honed up and use it!

 

[CanonSterVa]

What a piece of history in that razor.
Something that is over 100 years old and looks as good as it does.
Surely need a light clean up, a honing and a test shave.
Enjoy!

 

[77TransAm]

Nice razor. I wish I had a heirloom razor.

 

[Haegar]

Yes I also think that it will not be too much work to sharpen it. But rather than doing my first sharpening exercises on this (for me) unique razor I will first get a Gold Dollar to work where I don't have to care about how much ground off steel I will send down the sink before achieving a keen edge. I hope that after that exercise it will be a breeze to give my heirloom razor its well deserved treatment. I only have experience with sharpening chisels and plane blades, not razors which are a different kettle of fish!

<snip>
Something that is over 100 years old and looks as good as it does.
Surely need a light clean up, a honing and a test shave.

I'm not sure about the age of this razor but I think it most probably is a bit less than 100 years old. Maybe my grandfather has done his first shave with this one (certainly not before 1915), but it is also possible that he got it later, and/or that it got produced a couple of years before he bought it... It would be interesting to track down the year (or period) of production. It seems that this razor has been a pretty popular (and humble) model which appeared with several slightly different looking impressions on the shank and also the scales. The scales seem to be made of celluloid material.

 

[JHP]

Nice razor. I wish I had a heirloom razor.

+1