This razor (and at least one similar one) was made for J.B. Williams company in the 1930s. Yes, the same as Williams soap. The Great Depression caused many new shavers to look for less expensive razors and this was one that was made to reduce cost as much as possible, but still use Gillette Style Double Edge razor blades. Williams also sold Double Edge razor blades under their name which were manufacturer by an unknown blade company. The razor opens up and the blade fits at the cap on the right of the photograph and the razor closes around the blade creating an open comb razor. Yes it is a part of my collection, and no I have not shaved with it. I hope that sheds some more light on this unusual and rarely seen razor.
The 1960s was The Space Age! Not to be outdone, the PAL side of the ASR house took the razor one step further and with the blades had their own SPACE AGE commercial!
Actually it is a non-standard Aristocrat Jr. regardless of the model name on the instructional brochure. And the next iteration of the Junior came in a different case and with a slightly different razor design. This is a mint one. Can't lose with the early open comb Aristocratic sets. And the British #66 was a nice razor to brighten your Sunday shave. Vintage Merkur was so much classier than the modern iteration. The slants put a different spin on things. Especially this Sonnal. German razors led the design category for many decades. How about these Apollos. Especially beautiful are the Apollo adjustables. Not all of the Apollo razors were adjustable types, but they were all so well designed.
I have had the opportunity to use one of these. It is extremely light and while it was a few years ago, I still remember the shave just due to the oddity. I was blown away by the simplicity of the design; 3 simple stamped pieces of metal stuck together. It ain't my favorite razor to shave with but it is a very cool, simple, and no frills piece that gets the job done.
I guess Gillette used the books they had available from somewhere, or maybe just a misprint in the books and used them anyway. Excellent photos Jake, please keep them coming! Over 1,000 views so far.
The British made Eclipse safety razor broke new ground with the 2-piece design, the remarkable head, and the magentic blade holder on the bottom of the handle. They released the set with a variety of cases, including this great soft leather version shown here. How bout the German made Rap razor? Very nice design and mint model here. Yet another Apollo razor, in a distinctive tin case/box. Good as new... How about a model that either was the idea of the Tuckaway or was a copy of that classic Gillette compact set. Here's the Jump set. Here's a couple beautiful British made Rockets, referred to as the Rocket HD. One of the heftiest and most reliable of the early 1950s pedestrian double edged safety razors. Highly regarded. Highly recommended. How about this little traveler set, with an interchangeable handle for either the razor head or the toothbrush? Pretty clever design. And I will leave it to you gents to decide what those hollow handles are used for. It's not the 1st time this has been an option for the Gillette sets. Cool 2-toned razor. Emir razors came in a variety of styles, including the asymmetrical head design. I leave it to the viewer to decide which version you prefer. But both are incredibly well designed and classy vintage razors! Good as new and from the 1930s.
A really nice razor. At the moment,i got a Emir here...borrowed from a member in Germany. Very solid,very nice. Let's see how it shaves. Seems to be a mild shaver. Just as i like it.