Made a circuit of my new area of some major antique shops. One appears promising but flaky, apparently it's notorious for being unpredictably closed. 2nd was excellent, where I finally found the exact expansion watch band that I've been looking for as well as a cheap vinyl strap that goes fine with my pocket watch. $5 well spent. 3rd was the classiest of them all but also the most dishonest as well as highest priced. Locked in a display case I could just make out (place is very dim) a Gillette box that said Richwood, while inside of it was a bright and unused looking gold ball end Tech. Just as I noticed it and was able to make out the price tag of $199, the lady who ran the place came up and said "Oh that's a very nice piece, that's even the original box and razor!" I just walked away. These people clearly know their antiques better than any other shop I've been to in quite some time. That tells me she was lying and knew she was lying because anybody who came across that box and that razor would no doubt have looked them up on the internet and seen you could not have a worst mismatch on your hands. But even though I had said earlier that I was looking for safety razors, she figured me for a rube. Well that's just one more place to scratch off the list.
If I think someone honestly doesn't know, I will offer correction to help them out. At a reasonable price, they will sell either of the items (although I have no idea what a Richwood box could be worth). But that there was just brazen, not honest ignorance because this is one of those shops where people are serious about their antique knowledge and it shows.
Most of the time, in "those" kind of shops, the owner is an expert in one type of thing, be it 1930's glassware, or a certain type of furniture, or military memoribilia, vintage clocks, wristwatches, etc. I've yet to meet a razor expert outside of shaving forum members... that's not to say they don't exist. My great uncle was a razor collector long before the internet. Pity he died and his collection vanished long before I was born.
The shop near me is pretty nice for de and se razors and she’s fairly knowledgeable on what she has, and prices them fairly imo. Now on the straights she has are mainly in poor shape, but have potential for restoration. Her husband was the one who knew about them but the pricing is way out of line for the condition of them regardless of the name on the blade.
I have a few antique shops that have multiple vendors, i saw a shick g series for 90 bucks, it was nos case was in nice condition but still does not seem like it should be that much, same shop different vendor sold me a prewar tech 10 bucks, gillette new lc 7 bucks, and a heather and fern shaving mug for 4 bucks, and there are always plenty of rusty chipped straight razors going for over 100.
I should also mention that the good place I found had one razor in the whole place, a dark brassed Old type, all by itself, for $100. Maybe the craziness just another Florida thing.
When I have visited Florida, I have found it to be a great place for antique shopping, since there are just so many shops. (None, to my knowledge, exist here on Staten Island.). Often, when I shop, I am looking for old fountain pens. As with razors, prices can be all over the map & knowledge of product varies widely as well.
What part of Florida? I have mostly been in & around West Palm Beach. I always look for fountain pens, knowing it’s hit-or-miss.
Depends if the stuff is owner picked or they rent out booths for vendors. I see prices all over the place especially in the same shop and different case, also once an area gets picked out razors tend not show up again for month(s). It is best to ask if they come across whatever it is you are looking for. When you go antiquing check out the pawn shops too.
I have quite a few antique store near me, but only really ever find shaving gear at a couple. One has had the same inventory for at least two years, all of it over priced razors that I already own better examples of. The other, even though they have multiple vendors, always prices fairly and I never try and talk them down. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk