Razor
Gentlemen in the eighteenth century often travelled with compact razor cases that held their personal set of shaving and dressing supplies. One such case, possibly belonging to George Washington, contained this straight razor. It bears the distinctive stamp of a long-handled curate's pipe on its shoulder, the trademark of cutler George Wostenholm of Sheffield, England. Drawing on its wealth of local iron and coal deposits, Sheffield developed into a leading manufacturing center for steel razors and knives by the end of the eighteenth century.
Published ReferencesStanley V. Henkels, Auction Commission Merchant, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 December 1920, Catalogue 1269, (Philadelphia: Stanley V. Henkels, 1920), Lot. 133. (Offered for sale but apparently not sold)
Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., Incunabula-American Association Books-Sets/Famous Classics of Science and Other First Editions-Autographs & Manuscripts/Birds-Flowers-Other Books . . . Public Auction Sale January 29 and 30 at 1:45 P.M. Catalogue 1220, (New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., 1951), Lot 633.