I´m wrong with the 1958 date. The earliest #80 set what I´ve seen, comes with "F1" blades, so it´s maybe from 1960. I have correct my site.
I realize that I was just passing on the back round info. I've been trying to run down it's beginning for several years. I like to know history with all my razors. One thing the seller did not make it up. That reference to the "TV Special" does not appear to be isolated. I suspect the Brit " TV Special" moniker may have it's beginning from over there as I've seen it discussed on a Brit site in 2016, I just talked to a guy at a Brit forum that's claims to have had one in the same case as I have. Here at SD it was mentioned back in 2008 by Rocket Man. Last month four of them were sold (w/different type cases) under than name by a Brit on a sister USA shave forum. So it appears that label has been out there for quite awhile. The Brit TV Special may just be figment of imagination or a razor that has found it's home in a multitude razor cases (Traveler Deluxe for one) that further confuses the matter. I do agree the ad showing the #80 set is the best evidence I've seen so far of the razor being sold in the main stream. BTW here is a pic the guy from the UK sent me. This is the razor he formerly owed and he referred to as the Brit TV Spec.
to find a brit late 50s gillette salesman's catalogue would be awesome ,if one ever existed.or any for that matter..
The No. 80 set and the Deluxe Traveller set used the #66 Aristocrat head. Just adding the info to the thread.
Yes, the polishing and plating is better. But no, it is the same underlying base metal head. The No. 58 Aristocrat Jr. Shares the same #22/#66 head. Edit: the No. 66 is considered to be the mildest of the British aristocrat heads. The head difference between the early jrs. and rockets was more dramatic, since the jrs. used the milled baseplate of the earlier aristocrats, and the rockets used the stamped baseplates.
Here are a few sets you probably don't see that often or knew the exact set # Both ads are Australian sourced Here are a bunch of British Tech sets including the 4 pc Tech razor. Ad from the Age Dec. 3rd 1946 Next is for a set called the Gillette A.M. Special sold in 1963. This one was probably a one off set to move the remaining stock of this particular style of razor.
