Christmas 1934

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by jmudrick, Apr 2, 2017.

  1. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    "She's all dolled up to a fare-you-well to-night," continued Clark. "Notice that fellow she's with?"

    "Big fella? White pants?"

    "Yeah. Well, that's Ogden Merritt from Savannah. Old man Merritt makes the Merritt safety razors."

    -- F. Scott Fitzgerald, "Tender is the Night", 1934


    It occurred to me in looking at my vintage razor hit list just how many of my favorite designs date from the same period. If I were to step back to my grandfather's day, in 1934 a young attorney with a two year old daughter, looking at a list of potential Christmas gifts to suggest to my grandmother, that list could include:

    Gillette Aristocrat (New, Good Will)
    Schick Model C
    Gem Micro-matic
    Enders Speed Shaver
    Ronson Razor
    Cooper Monobilt
    Segal Unimatic/Schaeffer
    DeHaven No.3
    Valet Autostrop VC2
    Barbasol Floating Head

    ...And that's just some American razors off the top of my head. Beautifully designed razors all. I don't think there was a better point in time. Any other suggestions?

    It wasn't a bad year for automobiles either. Or refrigerators for that matter.


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2018
  2. Shave7

    Shave7 Active Member

    Or for stylish clothing!

    You make an outstanding point!
     
    brit, gorgo2, AGHisBBS and 4 others like this.
  3. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Damn straight, I wish I had my grandfather's suits. Photo 1934:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2017
    brit, Enrico, gorgo2 and 3 others like this.
  4. jtspartan

    jtspartan appropriately stimulated, via Netflix

    I believe the Barbasol Floating head was still in production as well.
     
  5. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Bingo. I knew I'd forgotten a big one, that was it. 1932-34 I believe.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    AGHisBBS, twhite and jtspartan like this.
  6. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    zthumbs.jpg
     
    twhite likes this.
  7. AGHisBBS

    AGHisBBS Well-Known Member

    Good year to buy a just introduced Zippo lighter too.
     
    jmudrick likes this.
  8. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    brit, RyX and AGHisBBS like this.
  9. AGHisBBS

    AGHisBBS Well-Known Member

  10. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    1934:parker Challenger. I believe my grandfather had one of these.[​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2017
    brit, Keithmax, gorgo2 and 1 other person like this.
  11. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Omega '34[​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2017
  12. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Pierce Arrow[​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
  13. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Kodak[​IMG]

    Rollei

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2017
  14. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Zenith[​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    Brickman301, brit, BigMark83 and 2 others like this.
  15. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Fully aware that life in 1934, even for the well off, was full of as many stresses and fears as our day is...just different ones. Influenza, polio, economic uncertainty, apparently endless war in Europe, rapidly changing morals at home, on and on and on. And still I have to wonder if, for all that, it still would have been a somehow simpler day to have lived in.

    Great thread, please keep it up!
     
    PLANofMAN, BigMark83, twhite and 3 others like this.
  16. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Speaking of morals...a glorious window in time, not Just for Schick razors...

    ..Pre-Code Hollywood refers to the brief era in the American film industry between the introduction of sound pictures in 1929 and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known as the "Hays Code", in mid-1934. Although the Code was adopted in 1930, oversight was poor and it did not become rigorously enforced until July 1, 1934, with the establishment of the Production Code Administration (PCA)...[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    http://pre-codes.tumblr.com/
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2017
    brit, twhite, AGHisBBS and 1 other person like this.
  17. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Last edited: Apr 3, 2017
  18. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Some people painted. Some well shaven, some not.[​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    brit, twhite and AGHisBBS like this.
  19. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    It is said some people used typewriters.
    [​IMG]

    "There was not a sound except the dull scrape of the razor along its wielder's face and the intermittent groaning sound that blew in out of the sea.."

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Some wrote about writing. It should be remembered that Hemingway dismissed the tragic potential of the safety razor.

    [​IMG]

    http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/04/forget-your-personal-tragedy.html?m=1



    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2017
    brit, twhite and AGHisBBS like this.
  20. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Steve McQueen.[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
    brit and BigMark83 like this.

Share This Page