So, I saw this on eBay, bid on it and lost. Of course, I didn't go up anywhere near the sale amount. Anyway, is this real? Did Gem build a prototype of an adjustable single edge razor? How can a price be put on it?
I've never seen the likes of it. Message the seller and give them the @NCoxSTL Treatment. Fill their e-mail box with questions until they either spill the beans or promise to disclose the details at some future date.
Very real actually. As far as price, looks like he didn't set one, but rather let the buyers decide what it was worth to them.
I've checked the Internet to see if I could find out anything about it and found nothing! It looks good in the photos and not like something made at home. I'm thinking that if there were ever prototypes, or some pilot run, I would have read about it here way back.
@Dridecker , it's good to see you on these forums! Very real? That is one cool razor! Any idea why it didn't go into production? If they could have made a nice profit, it would have been built. I wonder if they thought the market just wasn't there, or if they couldn't get the mechanics right. Well, if there's one, there must be a few more out there.
That was mine, and yes, it was real. Several of us did a lot of research here, and at another site, three years ago when I found it and didn't really come up with much other than the patent application. As to why it was never put into production we'll probably never know. The GEM line of SE razors had pretty much lost the battle to Gillette and Schick by the early sixties and my guess is that they decided it wasn't economically feasible to release a new razor when the others weren't selling all that great. I decided it was time to let someone else have it and since it was so rare I really had no idea what an appropriate price would be so I just let the market determine the value. I don't know if the new owner is a member here or not, but it will be shipped out Monday.
@HoosierTrooper , that is one special razor! I had my doubts when I was looking at it on eBay, especially when I googled it and could not find anything about it. It might very well be a one of a kind, or 1 out of 10, 0r 25, 0r 100! It's likely that Gem produced a small number of these razors and gave them out to employees for evaluation and that's as far as it went. The razors would either have been returned and then destroyed by Gem, or they let the people that did the evaluations keep them. I would have loved to have tried out that razor. Did you ever use it and, if so, what did you think of the shaves? How did it compare to other adjustables? Did Gem get it right, or was it lacking in any area? I'll be sure to be on the lookout for one of these now when I'm out antiquing just in case a few made it out to the wild. Btw, I have read many of your posts on other forums when researching various razors and their history, specifically the Damaskeene. In fact, after reading many of your prior posts around Gems, I made the leap into SE razors and found them to be wonderful alternatives to DEs! I especially enjoy the shaves with my Damaskeenes and the rest of the Gem lineup. Thanks for all of the great information that you've posted here and on the other shave forums. I know it's helped at least one wet shaver, that's for sure! Oh, if you would like for me to test out that Gem adjustable before sending it out to the lucky buyer, I'll give you my address!
Thanks Jim99. I used it several times, and the difference between 1 and 9 was quite noticeable. It is a little top-heavy because of the internal mechanism. It is difficult to compare it to the Gillette adjustables or Schick injectors because it has such a different feel. I think ASR had a good idea with this but would they have sold any? Hard to say. This was obviously an attempt to compete with the Gillette 195 which was the only adjustable on the market in the late 50's and early 60's that I'm aware of. Like I said, ASR/GEM was losing the battle to Gillette and Schick so they were probably trying to find something they could keep going with. Apparently this wasn't it, instead they went with the much simpler, and cheaper, to produce Contour I and II as the last new SE models they made before calling it quits.
Knowing what I know now, I think I would like to bid again! I hope the buyer appreciates what he just got. It's a unique piece of history!
That's one cool looking Gem. If anyone wants an adjustable SE razor, there are plenty around. I have several, and they work well. Wilkinson Sword Empire Razors. They Started making them in the 1930's. http://www.wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/Wilkinsons_Razors.html
Problem with anything that is rare is that it is so hard to price it. What you could end up getting for it could greatly differ depending on the particular week. I think my max bid was around $157 and I feel 'ok' missing out on it at that price but I don't truly know what a fair price would be 100, 250,1500? Impossible to say and on eBay its so dependent on who happens to see the auction that week
It comes down to what you want, I dislike the GEM razors with plastic handles and instead of spending 300-400 on one razor I rather have all my brass Gems recoated. The Gem the OP is asking I wouldn't spend 1 cent on it and if I would ever have one I would PIF it in a heart beat.
Considering the scarcity of the razor I think the buyer got a bargain. It probably would have gone higher except that most people likely had no idea what it was. Also, I didn't see it. It is considerably more rare than say, a Gillette Toggle. --Bob
