I find it interesting to see the original purchase cost of vintage shave gear adjusted for inflation. By example, I noticed a BNIB Old Spice shaving soap/mug on the bay c/w dated price tag. 3oz mug Shulton #3700. $3.08c in 1978 is the equivalent of $12 today. Quite good value imho. Have you any examples to share?
I've purchased the empty undamaged mugs for that, more or less. It's the NOS shave soap that ebay's for $25.00 that I haven't gone for. I've beaten the curve on Fat Boys. A 1959 model 195 selling at $1.95 would adjust to $25.99 according to THIS online calculator. I've seen 'em go for twice that, but I've never paid more that fifteen bucks for a decent user grade.
You have been lucky on those Fat Boys. That's one of my "saved searches" on Ebay. Do you find the best deals for such as that there, or out in other places to be the best places for good finds? I look in an antique mall, but have yet to find "any" at any price.
Thank you for the linked calculator. I bought a 1934 Esterbrook Dollar Pen for $19.38 which is the equivalent of $1 in 1934. However, it cost a bit more after restoration.
Always "other places". Flea markets, antique shops, thrift stores, estate sales. Many shops have a Wish List where you can leave a phone number or email address and the stuff you are seeking/collecting. I have cleaned out all the local shops so it takes someone finding and bringing to market new old stock. I'm not the only crazy old guy looking for shave related gear because I hear about the ones that they sold last week, too.
I think I cleaned out alot of vintage gear in my area too. It used to be that I could get a Fatboy or Slim, BB etc. for $2 or $3 , now they want no less than $10 for any DE or SE. Except for 1 thrift store that sold me a small box full for $10, had a scuttle and a Fatboy in it. Lucked out there.
For my Gillette Slim I paid $1.95 or .98 in 1963 (about $16.60 today's money). Now I look on E-bay and prices have gone way up a bit. Imagine a razor that has lasted for nearly 60 years and still looks and works good, Just how many things that are made today will last that long and cost so little. lol
Try looking in antique stores in smaller, less frequented towns. People are much more into stainless razors than vintage nowadays, and it looks like vintage prices have collapsed. That is good news for us, especially given that many vintage razors are very high quality.