Vintage Fairs – Lincoln Drill Hall

Chaps

 

Vintage fairs have become very popular over the last few years.  On our monthly visits to up hill Lincoln we often pop into a vintage shop and the antique shops in the Bailgate area and Steep Hill.

This Saturday there was a vintage fair held in the Lincoln Drill hall, a familiar location for those of us who attend the Lincoln Photography Show.

I picked up a few items to add to my collection of antique shaving equipment and a rather nice silver stamp holder and a leather match book holder.

Some had dressed the part, the visitors and some of the stall holders.  I took a number of photographs with my Leica M8 and there was a number of photographers there taking pictures and making themselves known with their big SLR’s and flashguns.

Next week there is another vintage fare in Lincoln and we might pop over again, it made an interesting and fun morning out.

 

a ‘New’ Razor

Shaving Kits
My Mercer 34C Shaving Kit

I was having to work on Saturday so Caroline went shopping on her own. I was surprised and pleased to find she had bought me a present.

In its original case a DE Razor made in England. That evening I started my research to find out more about it.

The razor came in three parts, the head and open comb was soon identified as a Long Open Comb and Twin Pin. The bottom plate was soon identified as a Raised Flat Bottom.

The raised flat bottom was available from 1933 to 1945. The Twin Pin plate was dated to 1933 to 1939.  The handle was a Ball end hollow end cap, which dates from 1930 to 1939, which means the kit can be dated from 1933 to 1939.

A little more research on the case that it all came in, finally identified it as a British Service issue set number 44 circa 1933 and the razor itself is a Gillette New Long Open Comb, Made in England.

Its amazing the quality of information available on some sites and the detail some collectors go to.

Gillette New, Long Open Comb - made in England
Gillette New, Long Open Comb – made in England

After switching last year from a ‘normal’ cartridge shaver to an old fashioned DE (Double Edged) Razor, I have found the condition of my skin improving and I am enjoying the ritual of old fashion shaving.

We are going on holiday soon and I did wonder whether or not to buy a small travel razor, well thanks to my lovely wife I now have a wonderful 1930’s DE razor perfect for travel.

Presents for the Birthday Boy

It was my Birthday recently and I asked for a few unusual presents.

Now me and Chris have an interest in coffee as well as cameras and a few weeks ago Chris emailed me a link to a blog from a guy mad about Leica’s and Coffee; just like me.

The site was CoffeeGeek.

It was while reading this site I spotted an interesting post about shaving. As you may be able to tell in the photograph above, I usually have a few days of stubble showing. Shaving has always irritated my neck and whether I use one of the latest multiblade cartridge shavers or an electric razor, I still get a sore neck.

The post linked to a few shaving forums, and these guys are real shaving geeks. Very knowledgable and trying to put a bit of fun and ritual back into what most consider a chore.

So after a bit of reading up and learning how bad for your skin modern canned saving cream and multi-blade shavers are, I had family members buy me a new shaving kit.

It consisted of a Badger Hair Shaving Brush, a Merkur 34C DE Razor, Traditional Saving Soap, Bowl, Stand and a multipack of different blades ranging from Derby Blades from Turkey right up to Japanese Feathers, some of the most fearsome and sharp razor blades money can buy. While the products are a little more expensive then the standard, the soap is very concentrated and will last a long time. The blades can be found for as little as £11 for 100 blades which means after a year you are saving money.

Though its not the money saving I am interested in. It is whether this stops my sore neck and makes shaving a pleasure instead of a chore. If it succeeds then it will be one of the best birthday presents yet.  If I get on well with the DE razor I might take up Caroline’s offer to buy me a straight (ie a cut throat) razor; maybe for my next birthday.

If you are interested in finding out more then you ever wanted to know about shaving, check out www.badgerandblade.com and sharpologist.com.

Oh and thanks for The Shaving Book Andrew, an interesting but also very funny read.