GILLETTE U.S.A "DOUBLE RING"
  
   

On November 1904 Gillette patents the "Gillette" safety razor (commonly known today as "double ring"), named as #460 set when it goes with a case and blade boxes.
Two variations of this model can be found: silver plating and gold plating (standard or engraved on the handle).

This "double ring" razor was produced between 1903 and 1906.

Gillette began to offer this new shaving article with the "thirty days' trial", if the customer did not like the razor, they refund the money.
Double edge blades (two edges in one razor), easy way to mount, "no stropping or honing", very cheap blades, all of these reasons made Gillette the first brand in the world in the becoming 100 years.
       

Click on the images
to see details

  
 


THE "GILLETTE"

# 460

(1903-1906)
FOR ALL MODELS
2 hard cardboard blade boxes with 12 blades
Fine Morocco leather case
Velvet lined inside		   PRICE
(1904)
     
     
# 460 (silver)   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated razor    
     
     
# 460 (gold)   $ 10.00
"Heavy" gold plated razor    
     
     
# 460 (gold with engraving)   $ 12.00
"Heavy" gold plated razor    
Name in gold letters on case    
Initials or monogram engraved on handle    
     
     
     
       

 

The first model to be sold by Gillette was the double-ring, starting in 1903 and ending in 1906. Just 51 razors and 168 blades were sold in 1903.

The razors wich were made before 5 November 1904 were marked with the legend "PAT. APL'D FOR" or "PAT. AP. FOR" on the lower smooth band of the handle, near the knob, and did not have any serial number. About 55.000 razors were made this way, without serial number.
On the middle of 1904, the serial numbers began to appear, and all of those razors were marked with "PAT. NOV. 15.04".
During 1904 and 1906, Gillette produced about 770.000 "double ring" safety razors.
On the middle of 1906 the company changed the style of the handle, simplifying the neck of the handle, and this was the beggining of the "single ring" handle.

THE CASES

The first 100 (aprox) came in a lithographed tin box, with blades that also came in a small and thin lithographed tin box, always dated o 1903.
The next razors during 1904 till 1906 came in a black leather covered wooden case, with a diagonal textile band or slanted ribbon with the name and address of the company, inside a white or black shipper box or a shipper box (cardboard), a metal slide clasp opening. On the below side of the case there use to be an impressed drawing, with the shape of a blade, with some texts about the company and the price of the set ($5).

 
 
Legends below the case
Slide clasp opening

SLANTED RIBBON

All the models of double ring razors that can be found have the diagonal textile band or slanted ribbon inside the case, on the upper side, in different colours, with several ornaments and texts always in silver coloured letters.
Colours for the diagonal textile band use to be dark blue, green, black, violet, purple, red.
Colours for the velvet lined use to be red, dark green, dark blue, violet, purple.

Legends that can be found on the slanted ribbon inside the case, with silver letters are:
- "GILLETTE SALES CO. TIMES BLDG. N.Y." with ornamental design. Shown on catalog and adverts from 1905.
- "GILLE SAFETY RAZOR CO. BOSTON USA LONDON ENG" with ornamental design. Shown on 1906 catalog.
- "GILLETTE SALES CO . TIMES BUILDING - TIMES SQUARE . NEW YORK.N.Y.", use to have the same ornamental design.
- "Gillette Sales Co. Chicago, Ill.", even in lowercase or capital letters, in different ornamental designs or simple, and where "Ill" means Illinois.

The two last images are from the 1905 and 1906 Gillette catalogs. It probably can be found more types than the ones shown at this article.

 
     
 

 

BLADE BOXES

Cardboard blade boxes use to be black coloured, and sometimes can be leather covered, others just paper covered, with several legends:
- "GILLETTE" with ornamental design 1905. catalog (the third image of the second column).
- "DULL" and "SHARP" with two different ornamental designs. Advert 1905 and models found.
- "DULL" and "SHARP" with no ornamental design. Models found.

 

 

 

SERIAL NUMBERS

All the razors made on 1903 and before 5 november 1904 were marked with the legend "PAT. AP. FOR" or "PAT. APL'D FOR" on the lower smooth band of the handle, near the knob, and never had serial numeber. About 55.000 razors did not had the serial number.
On the middle of 1904, the serial numbers began to appear, from 1 to 25.425, and all of those razors were marked with "PAT. NOV. 15.04" and this legend was used till the razor number 45.424.
On 1905 the serials number were from 45.425 to 370.424.
On 1906 the serials numbers were from 370.425 to 770.424.
On the middle of 1906 the company changed the style of the handle, and this was the beggining of the "single ring" handle.

For information about serial numbers, visit this article: GILLETTE U.S.A. SERIAL NUMBERS

 
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