I picked up a lovely Super Speed set with the flare tip in amazing condition. It is basically the same razor design as the 1958 TV Special (American) with the Rhodium handle. A fellow in one of the Facebook groups provided an advert showing it's a no.80 set from 1961. I wondered if anyone knows if this set was produced before that date in the UK.
You should read your own threads again. https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/brit-pat-694093-ii-what-is-the-ii.62951/ Looks like someone nicked the ad I posted from that thread to date your razor.
I am still skeptical of the 1958 date for the British version of this razor myself. I know mr-razor has a picture of the traveler set with this razor but so does that ad for 1961. With that said I don't outright discount the 1958 date but something more definitive is needed to back up that date is all.
No it is a picture of a set that might be a 58. The proof as it stands right now says that set is a 61 and not a 58. Print ads with dates are more definitive in this case. We need something in print showing that set from 58 to say for sure it it could be a 58.
Yes, true, it could help. But I wanted him to know that the instruction sheet shown is available, and I could send him a repro of it.
I have never seen an advertisement for a British "TV Special." The handle is what makes it a "TV" razor. Given that the British insert makes no reference to TV Special, it is likely that this razor was never made in 1958, and from the case design, was never made prior to 1960. Going by that information, and the relative rarity of these razors, I would say that they may have only been made for Christmas of 1961, and possibly 1960 and 1962. This razor should be referred to as a No. 80 set, and the "British 1958 TV special" nomenclature be dropped permantly. Edit: I live for this kind of stuff! Outstanding!
Look at it this way the TV special was a promotional for the Cavalcade of Sports show which was completely American. Far as I know Gillette never had a similar show or promotional outlet like that in the UK so that alone should be reason enough to stop calling it a TV special. This is like saying 2 people who look similar (they are stamped differently for starters) but are not the same are the same.
Maybe @preidy can chime in on here. He put up a complete set over at B&B a couple of years ago............ https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/1958-gillette-british-rocket-tv-special-set.57593/
We also know that the traveller deluxe set was available in 1961, which is yet another argument against that razor being part of a special TV promotion.
It seems there are differences in the cases. Preidy's case has the Gillette Diamond on the left and Made in England on the right, written on the underside and the case in the picture above, which is the same as mine, with the Gillette Diamond in the centre of the Made in England text, placed in a circle.
Like I said I purchased it from the UK (years ago) and I recall it being sold as a TV Special. I have no other proof than that. But I have the 5 Flair Tips and one Square tip (early 60's). I was under the impress the 5 all came along in the late 50's. The one Rhodium flair tip in question has vertical knurling (so does the 1958 US TV Special). All the other 5 F-Tips have the crisscross knurling.
I can't disagree with that but that Traveller's Set I don't think came along in the 60's. I suspect that since the razor has vertical knurling it got that branding.
