I read blue monkeys tale of two auctions and other posts here about people paying large sums of money for certain razors. Some (if not all) makes no sense to me. What makes a razor so valuable ? rarity ? quality ? Right now ebay has a 1953 Gillette President in excellent (if not mint condition) in the original box for $195.00 with only 4 bids and a whole day left to go. I have to admit it is beautiful and I would love to have it but not at that price. And I am sure it will go for a whole lot more. Any thoughts out there ?
My cheaper razors shave just as well... I do not like things that I can not use... that is just how i am.. So I just laugh at people that spend that much on a shaving instrument. Fuzzy
I agree with Fuzz, I dont see a point in owning something you cant use. All my razors shave just as old as the much more expensive NOS razors. There would be no point in buying an expensive NOS razor just to open and use it.
Yup. The same items maintain completely different values to a consumer and a collector. I'm sure everyone here can understand the hobby of stamp collecting. I suppose that same 1910 two cent stamp that the collector paid $200 for could be seen as one of 21 stamps of the same value needed to mail a 42 cent letter. But, we can all understand there is a difference. That '65 Mustang in the neighbor's yard can be thought of as an old car instead of a collector's item, as well. Why not take that 1957 Mickey Mantle card and clip it in the spokes of your kid's bike? It is just a card, right? Just because you have no interest in collecting an item doesn't make that item any less collectible to others and it doesn't make them wrong for wanting to collect that same item. For the most part these people that are paying top dollar for NOS sets have absolutely no intention of ever opening the set and using it. That would be as nonsensical as a numismatist buying a 1948 U.S. proof set and popping it open to buy a Snickers bar. And I certainly can't laugh at someone who has enough money to easily spend it on items they love to collect. Envy, yes. Ridicule, no. Just my input as one who has collected things since I was a small boy.
How about an expensive non-NOS??? I can see both sides. I like collecting nice razors, but I'm willing to use anything I've got at least once, including my NOS Aristocrat Adjustable (gold plated slim). I HAVEN'T since I've used a number of other slims, but I the AA were different than I slim, would. And I wouldn't (yet) pay the going rates for these razors. I'm starting to loose my collecting buzz and when I get to a one-purchase-per-year stage, I could justify plunking down big bucks if I really like a pretty razor. And there are a lot of really pretty non-Gillette razors out there that are a lot more rare... But the fun is in the using.
You are what could be called a consumer collector. And your idea of value obviously falls somewhere in between the two extremes. You are most likely willing to pay a substantial amount more than someone who is strictly a consumer, but not as much as someone who is purely a collector. It is simple economics. Sorry, but I loved those classes back in school. :ashamed001
Thanks for the feedback. From a collectors standpoint what makes the Presidents so valuable ? Are they scarce and hard to find ? I admit in searching for razors that I have only seen a 3 or 4 Presidents. A ton of SS and Techs out there some of which are going for next to nothing even in excellent shape. What does NOS mean ?
Yes. The Presidents are quite scarce. NOS means New Old Stock or unopened stock that is no longer sold mass market. Old stock that is still in new condition.
I have collected 4 Presidents. Why? Because I like the look and feel of them. However, I don’t shave with them because the President is just a bit to aggressive for me. This is a picture of two of them. This is my everyday shaver. Nowhere near as rare, expensive or desirable as a President but a damn good razor none the less. What’s the point of having razors that I don’t use? Who cares! It’s my money; I’ll waste it any way I want. Heck, I have a mint Toggle and I think it sucks as far as performance goes... but it sure is pretty!
Good Point. Heck, I have too many fly rods, fly boxes packed with flies, cameras, old fishing tackle and the list goes on including 18 razors and I just started wet shaving 2 months ago. Hobbies are costly. Those are nice looking Presidents.
I hear you! When it comes to camera gear, man, I have way too much and it’s all older manual film cameras. I don’t use them anymore, but they’re not going anywhere either.
