Minty 1938 Gillette Dry Shaver

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by IAmTheJody, Feb 14, 2011.

  1. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Was fortunate enough to buy this today after no one bid on it and the seller sold it to me off eBay.... The only thing missing is the cleaning brush that was originally included.

    Gillette's first attempt to take on dry/electric razors and take on Colonel Schick, who by this time had left his injector razor company and started his dry/electric razor company. This razor didn't do too well for Gillette because it was a heavy monster and it cost $20.00. The following year, in 1939, Gillette came out with a smaller dry/electric razor called the Gillette Kumpakt and it could be had for $10.00. at the same time, they dropped the price of the larger model from $20.00 to $15.00 After dismal Christmas 1939 sales figures for their 2 dry/electric razors, they got out of the dry/electric razor business until the 1960s when they purchased the Braun company.

    My mint 1938 Gillette Dry Shaver, renamed in 1939 to the Gillette DeLuxe Dry Shaver:

    IMG_20210619_200949_resize_30.jpg IMG_20210619_201004_resize_26.jpg IMG_20210619_201042_resize_0.jpg IMG_20210619_201227_resize_14.jpg IMG_20210619_201255_resize_59.jpg IMG_20210619_201536_resize_46.jpg IMG_20210619_201459_resize_80.jpg IMG_20210619_201331_resize_80.jpg IMG_20210619_201336_resize_95.jpg IMG_20210619_201646_resize_20.jpg IMG_20210619_201720_resize_0.jpg IMG_20210619_201711_resize_40.jpg IMG_20210619_201658_resize_87.jpg IMG_20210619_201308_resize_94.jpg IMG_20210619_202516_resize_36.jpg IMG_20210619_202218_resize_21.jpg IMG_20210619_202302_resize_84.jpg IMG_20210619_202423_resize_53.jpg IMG_20210619_202324_resize_21.jpg IMG_20210619_202444_resize_86.jpg IMG_20210619_202321_resize_58.jpg

    1938 ESQUIRE Magazine advertisement:
    71RSKpjnPhL._AC_SL1210_.jpg

    1939 magazine advertisement showing both of Gillette's dry/electric razors:
    71uOpKLnhCL._AC_SL1210_.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2021
  2. mr-razor

    mr-razor Well-Known Member

    Congratulations! That´s a nice catch! Is that a waranty card?
     
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  3. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Thanks Achim.

    No, that's a card instructing the retail sales person how to display for sale the dry shaver.

    It does appear from the instruction booklet that the set did come with a small cleaning brush and there is a small metal holder for it in the case... but the cleaning brush is missing from the set.

    Also I was surprised to find a specific date inside the instructions booklet. It says "Printed 9-30-1938". I think it's reasonable to assume that this was out to a store and available for purchase in October - my birth month - so that's the story and I'm sticking to it. lol! Never thought I'd get a Gillette Dry Shaver much less in this fine shape and even much less from my birth month.

    Also on the dry shaver itself, it says Model G.

    A neat side note... in the instruction booklet it tells the user that sometimes people won't get a good shave using a dry shaver, even from such a fine precision tool as the Gillette Dry Shaver. It goes on to tell the user that if this is the case for the user, return the Gillette Dry Shaver to Gillette, Boston and Gillette will replace it with a current double edge safety razor model of your choice and double edge blades up to the full $20.00 purchase price of the Gillette Dry Shaver. So, for example, in 1938, if you didn't like the dry shaver, you could send it to Gillette and choose a Gillette Aristocrat or Sheraton or Senator or black handle Gold Tech - whatever safety razor models were available at the time - replacement and I guess as many blades as would equal the $20.00 you spent on the dry shaver.
     
  4. Really nice, I had never seen before!
     
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  5. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Updated this with new pictures as the old picture links were dead. :D
     
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  6. brit

    brit in a box

    very cool Jody.:cool:
     
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  7. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    "Backed by years of shaving experience!" it says in the booklet...

    Just not years of electric shaving.

    What a complete failure this was for Gillette, proven by the fact that these are quite rare as you never ever hardly see one for sale which means practically no one purchased one, and the fact that they got out of making and selling them very quickly. 2 years. Gillette was the king of DE razors. Schick was the king of electric shavers. And speaking of rare, I have never ever seen their second model, the Kumpakt, except pictures in old advertisements.
    :happy102:
     
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  8. richgem

    richgem suffering from chronic clicker hand cramps

    Wow... what a find. I've never even heard these referred to until now. Tho, I think "Kumpakt" is a pretty odd spelling for "bakelite beast." :D
     
  9. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Bakelit Biest in German. Since I assume Kumpakt is German, which makes it even more odd coming from Gillette.
     
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  10. brit

    brit in a box

    Gillette bought Rothbart i believe..
     
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  11. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Yes. Did Rotbart make electric razors? Maybe that's how it all came together?
     
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  12. brit

    brit in a box

    was in the 30s as well.quite possible..
     
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  13. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    With Gillette, everything is possible. And probable. Yes Gary? lol
     
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  14. brit

    brit in a box

    i only know what other fine gillette collectors have posted over the years here and on other forums..so i am just a steward of previously found info.;).but i have learned that they are capable of anything..:D:eatdrink047:..
     
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  15. mr-razor

    mr-razor Well-Known Member

    Kumpakt-01.jpg Kumpakt-02.jpg
    I´ve only seen the Kumpakt in Renzo´s collection:
     
  16. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Awesome Achim! First time ever seeing the Kumpakt model not in an advertisement. Very nice specimen too with full kit and shipper. Thank you for sharing!
     
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