W. Revit: Does Anyone Know Anything About This Razor?

holli4pirating · 08-11-2008, 08:56 AM

Here are some pictures. She's a fantastic shaver, and I assume she's pretty old, but I'd love to know more. If anyone knows anything (age, origin, etc), please do share with me.

Thanks.

blueprinciple · 08-11-2008, 12:08 PM

I haven't seen W. Revit but I have seen Revitt on a much later piece. This looks pretty early!

holli4pirating · 08-11-2008, 02:09 PM

I wonder if they might be related? Would you happen to know where the Revitt's are from?

gugi · 08-11-2008, 04:46 PM

w. revitt is sheffield, early 1800s (1820s)
here is my razor.

holli4pirating · 08-11-2008, 05:08 PM

Thanks for sharing, gugi. The stamping does look very similar, with the exception of that last T. Based on the date you've listed, this razor might even be older than my Savage (1840's I've been told).

blueprinciple · 08-11-2008, 07:45 PM

Hmm. In Robert Doyle's 'Straight Razor Collecting' he list W. Revitt as being active certainly pre - 1830 to around 1860. No country of origin, though. The 'Standard Guide To Razors' by Ritchie & Stewart just list 'Revitt' but as Germany. Odd, because my Revitt (I think a FRANK Revitt(? can't remember!!) was Sheffield.I do believe Gugi is correct as there was a W. Revitt, razor maker, listed at Meadow Street Sheffield in 1834. Sheffield it is then!

Utopian · 08-12-2008, 03:06 AM

I love the ornamental pin washers. I haven't seen many like that on old razors.

gugi · 08-12-2008, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueprinciple

Hmm. In Robert Doyle's 'Straight Razor Collecting' he list W. Revitt as being active certainly pre - 1830 to around 1860. No country of origin, though. The 'Standard Guide To Razors' by Ritchie & Stewart just list 'Revitt' but as Germany. Odd, because my Revitt (I think a FRANK Revitt(? can't remember!!) was Sheffield.I do believe Gugi is correct as there was a W. Revitt, razor maker, listed at Meadow Street Sheffield in 1834. Sheffield it is then!

Steve, here's a directory of Sheffield cutlers in 1822 and William Revitt at 6 Meadow St. is listed as table knife maker. I think the shape of mine most certainly matches that early period. The one of holli4pirating seems to have gotten a regrind later on. I think I saw that one on ebay recently, but since I've got mine and are trying to scale back on razors I didn't bid on it.

gugi · 08-12-2008, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Thanks for sharing, gugi. The stamping does look very similar, with the exception of that last T. Based on the date you've listed, this razor might even be older than my Savage (1840's I've been told).

If you want old ones - the John Barbers show up every now and then - good steel and early 1800s as well (uniclectica gives 1810-1834).

holli4pirating · 08-12-2008, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gugi

Steve, here's a directory of Sheffield cutlers in 1822 and William Revitt at 6 Meadow St. is listed as table knife maker. I think the shape of mine most certainly matches that early period. The one of holli4pirating seems to have gotten a regrind later on. I think I saw that one on ebay recently, but since I've got mine and are trying to scale back on razors I didn't bid on it.

I also agree that mine was likely reground, and I'd have to say that whoever did it did a fantastic job. What I do wonder is whether the point was always tapered like that. I believe it's a very nice touch, and it matches my Bow.

It was indeed on ebay, and I'd like to thank you for not bidding; I'm really happy with the purchase.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utopian

I love the ornamental pin washers. I haven't seen many like that on old razors.

They are quite nice indeed. Perhaps some day I'll clean off the greening from them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueprinciple

Hmm. In Robert Doyle's 'Straight Razor Collecting' he list W. Revitt as being active certainly pre - 1830 to around 1860. No country of origin, though. The 'Standard Guide To Razors' by Ritchie & Stewart just list 'Revitt' but as Germany. Odd, because my Revitt (I think a FRANK Revitt(? can't remember!!) was Sheffield.I do believe Gugi is correct as there was a W. Revitt, razor maker, listed at Meadow Street Sheffield in 1834. Sheffield it is then!

Of course, mine might not be related to any of those, seeing as I only have one T in Revit... I assumed it was a Sheffield blade based on the apparent age and the sound of the name, though I did consider the name could be French.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gugi

If you want old ones - the John Barbers show up every now and then - good steel and early 1800s as well (uniclectica gives 1810-1834).

I actually didn't grab her because of her age, though I do believe that makes her more interesting.

blueprinciple · 08-12-2008, 10:03 AM

At to the Revitt - Revit thing, I've had razors where letters - especially at the end of names - are missing, sometimes due to wear, sometimes a bad strike from the drop hammer. 'Revit' isn't an English spelling as far as I know so I would guess Revitt is correct. I would put the dat of the razor about 1835 - 1850.

Thanks Gugi for the list - it's handy as it prdates my 1834 item. BTW I will be putting (and indeed have) some old boys on my sitre soon (there's a John Barber on there already).

holli4pirating · 08-12-2008, 06:30 PM

I've certainly seen letters worn off, but I didn't think that was the case here. The stamping and tang looked too clean to me. But I guess it is still possible.

blueprinciple · 08-13-2008, 07:03 PM

It's also possible that the spelling was changed - Wostenholm used to be Worstenholme, I beleive, for example. BTW I found my Frank Revitt -hadn't sold it at all!

holli4pirating · 08-14-2008, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I've certainly seen letters worn off, but I didn't think that was the case here. The stamping and tang looked too clean to me. But I guess it is still possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueprinciple

It's also possible that the spelling was changed - Wostenholm used to be Worstenholme, I beleive, for example. BTW I found my Frank Revitt -hadn't sold it at all!

Please ignore that that previous post. I was looking at it and can see what I believe is a remaining mark from a second T. I also noticed that at some point there were jimps on the bottom, but it looks like the bottom of the tang was ground down in order to remove them. There are a few individual jimps that remain right at the pivot

It seems the razor has had a long and highly modified life.