A good haul?

shakespeare

shakespeare

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177
Location
Kent
I was at a vintage & collectables fair at Quex Park yesterday - close to where I live in Kent - and although I'm more of a 'straights' man, I couldn't resist this little job-lot. The whole group for a shade under £30.
So, we have:

1) Two "Valet" Autostrops: the one in the metal case is nearly complete with the casing insert for the strop, one (looks like) partially used blade, the blade holder and six unused blades, instructions but no strop. This one has clip fittings that sit either side of the blade. The razor is in good condition and responded well to cleaning but has some plating wear on the top plate cover, on the mechanism and a little on the handle. The second, in the Bakelite box - which has the strop insert missing - had only two very rusty blades, though the razor itself is in (IMHO) in very good condition. The blade restraint, or clip in this case is in the form of a kind of cage fitting, hinged on one side, that clips on the opposing side. Again, there is some degradation of the chromium plating.

2)Two "Rolls" Razors, one in a steel casing, the other in aluminium.The steel case (marked 1927, but that may just be the patent date) is the one in the worst condition of the two but is still not too bad. I haven't fully cleaned this one yet but the blade has fairly heavy pitting on the edge and requires some cleaning and I am currently unable to unscrew the two parts of the handle and so am unable to fit it to the blade anyway: a display, rather than usable item, I feel. Also, the hone is missing from one of the lids, though the strop is still present.
The Aluminium cased Rolls is an altogether different story! Complete with original box (though in poor condition) instructions and both strop and hone in their respective lids, the handle and blade, mechanism and fittings are (again IMHO) in very good condition and are eminently usable. I love this thing!

3) A Wilkinson Sword "Empire" Model (E21) razor. This one is my personal favourite Complete in wooden box (nick plated metal lid, coated bottom) with original cardboard packaging (though this in poor condition), complete with original strop and three unused blades. Again, responded well to cleaning, though there is wear on the plating and the strop is a little old and musty, though the leather hasn't dried out - not sure if anything can be done to restore it? From what little research I've been able to do, this model was made somewhere between 1931 - 36? Any info from a more experienced SE shaver/collector would be welcome here.


So, there you have it chaps and chapesses! Now, not having delved into single edge safety's as collectables, I'm not too sure if this was a good deal or not - I have to say it felt like it - so any advice or info you can give me re the above would be most gratefully received! Sorry I haven't posted a picture here - I do have one but have NO idea how to include it in the post using this UI :icon_sad:
Cheers
 
Funny that, I was given a Wilkie Empire in fairly minty condition for my birthday yesterday. Box is lovely and spotless to boot. How on earth one is supposed to use the thing, I've no idea. Looks like a face plane rather than a razor but magnificent for all that. Aye, tell us, ye learned coves.
 
Yeah, a good price indeed.

Valets are nice razors. Which models did you get? VB1 & VC1, the blade would slide in sideways, VC2 has a hinged gate, VC3 & VC4 has a retaining arm on each side. Well worth cleaning up and dropping a Feather into. Lovely razors. Like a "Jaguar" to the GEM/ER "Rover". Are they British or American? Not that it matters. Later British sets were sold through Famous Army Stores (Army & Navy Stores).

The Rolls Razors will probably be Imperial 1 & 3 sets (the 1927 one is the Imperial 1, the lighter case the Imperial 3). If there's a good blade there, hone it, strop it and have a go! Oh, if the grubby one is an Imperial 1 and has a sorter handle than the good one, it's a one piece handle, but the end should screw.

Yes, the Wilkinson Sword E21 was made from 1929. 1929 through 1938 in wooden and metal boxes, then again at the end of the '40s (1946 through 1950) in plastic boxes. These later ones are very rare indeed. You can use them with a de-spined GEM or a Feather blade which will fit all the way back between the blade holder, unless it's a seven day model which work slightly differently. Good shave.

DO NOT be tempted to take it apart to clean - the screws do look so inviting but once apart, you'll lack the gizmo they had in the factories that makes them easy to assemble and will spend a good couple of hours actually requiring three hands to do two different things at the same time in a space where you can only feasibly fit on in to work ... simply a damn good soap, ultrasonic if you can, perhaps a boil in bicarb, salt and foil.

http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/thread-23216.html
http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/thread-23248.html

If you'd like any of these more clearly identified, throw up some pictures.

Have a lot of fun cleaning them up and do try shaving with them. There's a real "something" about shaving with these curious contraptions.
 
Thanks for that Paul,
From what you've said the the "Valets" are a VC2 and VC3/4. The 3/4 actually came with one blade installed and six still wrapped and unopened blades: the VC2 with two very rusty blue/black blades. The E21 came with three original blades, one installed and two wrapped: I've watched the video link from the other thread and it's definately not the seven day set, but is much the same as the one in your post. As to the two "Rolls", the Imperial 3 still has a good blade and the mechanical action is very smooth. I have to admit that the first thing I did after giving it a clean, was to hone and strop the blade and then have a shave - a very good one at that! I've also tried out the VC3/4, again with good results. I guess the next try out will have to be the E21.
Once I work out how to do it, I'll post some pics up :)
 
Crivens, ye ken yer stuff aboot yon razors, eh felly? Need to have a go with my Rolls again - it's just so appealing not to need throwaway blades and my pal, Smallbeard, sent me spare blades and some bits too. He's a good lad but has he been around lately? Hope he's a'richt but I'll need tae gie him a bell.

Ta muckle, Mr Fencer! :D
 
Excellent! Then a very good haul if you've got three or four, if not five good razors out of it. The Rolls is always a hit and miss given the blade. Often you see a good package with a dud blade, else a brand spanker in a grubby old tarnished tin.

I omitted to point out the difference between the Valet VC3 & 4 being that the VC4 has a solid guard, the VC3 (like the VC2 & VC1) has a comb. Likewise, I said the Wilkinson Sword E21 ... where I meant the Empire. The E21 was one edition of the Empire. It's all in the design of the handles.

Cheers G :D
 
Then it's definitely one VC2 and one VC3: both, it appears are UK made: the VC2 in the Bakelite box has "Made in England" embossed on the inside of the lid and the VC3 has "Made in Great Britain" printed on the satin fabric, again on the inside of the lid. The Wilkie has "Set No E21" clearly stamped on the front flap of the cardboard box with a Royal crest and "By appointment to the late King George V" on the upper left quadrant of the package lid. (Can anyone tell me how to post pics in threads - this really is the most frustrating UI) :(
 
Ooh! If it's a Commemorative Set, I'll be quite jealous :D

1935 and came in a couple of types of box, one solid metal with blue fabric inside and presumably cardboard sleeved, the other a blue mottled box with ornate silverwork casing.

Is the handle quite simple? Straight lines and an end knob cut into three? Maybe it's simply knurled with the end knob striated with straight lines?
 
Gairdner said:
Crivens, ye ken yer stuff aboot yon razors, eh felly? Need to have a go with my Rolls again - it's just so appealing not to need throwaway blades and my pal, Smallbeard, sent me spare blades and some bits too. He's a good lad but has he been around lately? Hope he's a'richt but I'll need tae gie him a bell.

Ta muckle, Mr Fencer! :D
Click to expand...

I'm lucky, the aluminium set is really in very good nick including the blade: it gave a nice close shave :)

pjgh said:
Ooh! If it's a Commemorative Set, I'll be quite jealous :D

1935 and came in a couple of types of box, one solid metal with blue fabric inside and presumably cardboard sleeved, the other a blue mottled box with ornate silverwork casing.

Is the handle quite simple? Straight lines and an end knob cut into three? Maybe it's simply knurled with the end knob striated with straight lines?
Click to expand...
Certainly not one of the ornate ones. The box lid is wooden, covered in plated metal: the box itself seems to be made of a black anodised metal. Blue felt interior with blue satin lid lining - Wilkie's logo and royal CoA gold embossed (or printed) on the satin. The handle has five parallel straight lines from top to bottom - rather like a Greek column - the bottom knob has two striated knurls. Hope all that makes sense
:huh:
 
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