Need some help with ID

I found this today and looked up the stamp number and it's a 1921. Mr-Razor has it as a New Improved; which I think is is, but the knurling on the handle isn't right. It should be the diamond pattern, not the spiral. I looked, but couldn't find this thing anywhere.

Then I just started looking around and noticed the knurl on the 1940's TTO aristocrat has the same knurling, but that doesn't make sense because this is a two piece razor. The stamp on the shave head is Gillette USA, the serial number is N6598...; Which makes it 1921. There is also a very light patent stamp on the base of the handle that reads--and this is my best guess--PAT VCV5104.

I don't know why this has the spiral knurling rather than the diamond, unless I missed something somewhere.
Anyway, here is the pic.



Thanks for any help.
John

btw, sorry for the fisheye lens, my camera doesn't like close-ups.

The spiral knurling was mainly on English made Gillettes, wasn't it?

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It looks like a gold Bulldog handle. Are you sure the head is that of a New Improved?

John,

I'm on a phone buy by the looks of it, what you have there is a beautiful Old Type Bulldog.

Off the top of my head, the first Gillette spiral knurling was introduced in the US in 1914, but later became kind of characteristic of British Aristocrats.

Enjoy it. You got yourself a stunner !

I've never seen a New Improved in real life, so I have to depend on photos. The shave head looks like an Old Type and I don't know what the difference is with the New Improved. Is it thicker head?

I guess it is an Old Type with a bulldog handle, it's the only thing that would make sense. I really wanted to try a New Improved, Guess I'll need to wait. I suppose it's in the wrong case as well.

Thanks for your help clearing it up.
John

John, that definitely looks like a Bulldog but it's hard for me to tell - is it silver or gold? If it's gold, I can't remember off hand if the Bulldog also came in gold (and under another name, likely) but either way you may have a farely rare Gillette. Congrats!

(05-20-2012, 07:21 AM)TexBilly Wrote: John, that definitely looks like a Bulldog but it's hard for me to tell - is it silver or gold? If it's gold, I can't remember off hand if the Bulldog also came in gold (and under another name, likely) but either way you may have a farely rare Gillette. Congrats!

I've looked at the shave head and it's an Old Type, I just assumed it was a New Improved because of the case and the fat handle. Later I noticed that the knurling and led me to question it. It's gold plating.

I'm still looking, I need Achim to show up. LOL
I'll look on Mr-Raxor, maybe he has an ad that would show the silver or gold option. I've already looked all over his site, but only at images.

Wow, that is indeed a stunning razor! Enjoy it in good health!

Johnny9,

Here is a Military Set 1918. Old Type in Nickel from Achim's site.

John,
That is a gorgeous razor, my friend and Gary might have found what it is. Yours might be a British Version, or later model, perhaps.
Enjoy the shaves with it.

I was looking closer at Achim's site and seen that there was a Bulldog "G" which was a gold plated razor and gold plated blade holders; however the case is different, but that was the 1920 set. So, unless they changed the case in 1921 to something closer to the Net Improved combo set, I think it may be the wrong case, but who knows...

At this point I'm calling it a 1921 Bulldog G combination set, until I find out more. Gillette changed so many things every year that it's hard to keep track of.

Time for a shower and a shave. Thanks for the help everyone.
BTW, that Military set is awesome looking.

Johnny, my Bulldog set is consistent with the military set, including the mirror, only in leather. Your razor is definitely not a NEW Improved, by the way.