GILLETTE U.S.A "POCKET EDITION" MODELS
 
     

In 1909 Gillette presents these new line of models, the "Pocket edition".

These models have a metal case, sometimes made of "gun" metal (in order to spend the metal of the war), that is plated in three finishes: gun metal, triple silver or 14 karat gold, with four styles of ornamental designs (plain, basket, shell and flowered), matching the razor and the case.
Between 1909 and 1918 Gillette reduced the stock on sale, taking out of the catalogue on first place the "gun metal" options, then the #503 and the #504 models, selling on 1918 just the models #500 and #501 (with a more plain design, removing the ornamental lines), maybe the most popular and better sold ones.

Without any doubt, the most beautiful line of razor sets ever seen before (at the moment) for all public.

One interesting information is that in 1915 the safety razor handle was re-designed, loosing its ornamental lines, probably to make the manufacturing of this model cheaper, trying to keep the same popular price than six years before. On December of 1915 we can find an advertising on "The saturday evening post" where it is called "no 501 Basket Pattern Pocket edition" and probably the first time that it is announced on paper.
This is the introduction of the regular "old type ball end", we can see it in the 1916 models for the U.S army, using the same name than the older pocket edition staff, announced as "U.S service set" on 1916, or "pocket edition 501 / 502" on the catalogue of 1918.

 

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POCKET EDITION

# 500

(1909)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Plain metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1909)
     
# 500   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case and razor    
     
# 500 A   $ 5.50
Gun metal case and gold plated razor    
     
# 500 B   $ 6.00
Gold plated case and razor    


 
 

POCKET EDITION

# 500

(1914)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Plain metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1914)
     
# 500   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case and razor    
     
# 500 B    
Gold plated case and razor   $ 6.00
     
# 500 A    
NOT ON SALE ON CATALOGUE    
 
 
     
 

POCKET EDITION

# 500

(1918)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Plain metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1918)
     
# 500   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case, razor and blade box    
     
# 500 B    
Gold plated case, razor and blade box   $ 6.00
     
# 500 A    
NOT ON SALE ON CATALOGUE    
     
This model has been redesigned, loosing its ornamental lines.    
 
 
     
 

POCKET EDITION

# 501

(1909)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Basket pattern metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1909)
     
# 501   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case and razor    
     
# 501 A   $ 5.50
Gun metal case and gold plated razor    
     
# 501 B   $ 6.00
Gold plated case and razor    
 
 

POCKET EDITION

# 501

(1914)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Basket pattern metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1914)
     
# 501   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case and razor    
     
# 501 B    
Gold plated case and razor   $ 6.00
     
# 501 A    
NOT ON SALE ON CATALOGUE    
     
Razor design is the same as #500 from 1909    
 
         
 

POCKET EDITION

# 501

(1918)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Basket pattern metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
PRICE
(1918)
   
# 501 $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case and razor  
   
# 501 B  
Gold plated case and razor $ 6.00
   
# 501 A  
NOT ON SALE ON CATALOGUE  
   

This model has been redesigned, loosing its ornamental lines.

 
 
         
 

POCKET EDITION

# 502

(1909)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Shell pattern metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1909)
     
# 502   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case and razor    
     
# 502 A   $ 5.50
Gun metal case and gold plated razor    
     
# 502 B   $ 6.00
Gold plated case and razor    
     
Razor design is the same as #500 from 1909    
 
 

POCKET EDITION

# 502

(1914)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Shell pattern metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1914)
     
# 502   $ 5.00
Triple silver plated case and razor    
     
# 502 B   $ 6.00
Gold plated metal case and razor    
     
# 502 A    
NOT ON SALE ON CATALOGUE    
     
Razor design is the same as #500 from 1909    
 
         
 

POCKET EDITION

# 503

(1909)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Flower pattern metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1909)
     
# 503   $ 5.50
Triple silver plated case and razor    
     
# 503 A   $ 6.00
Gun metal case and gold plated razor    
     
# 503 B   $ 6.50
Gold plated case and razor    
 
 

POCKET EDITION

# 504

(1909)

FOR ALL MODELS
Empire pattern metal case
Velvet lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1909)
     
# 504   $ 6.00
Triple silver plated box and razor    
     
# 504 A   $ 6.50
Gun metal case and box plated razor    
     
# 504 B   $ 7.50
Gold plated box and razor    
     
In this model the case is called "box", not even in the other models
 
 

POCKET EDITION

# 505

(1911)

 
FOR ALL MODELS
Leather covered case
Plush lined inside
12 blades in metal box with plating as razor
  PRICE
(1911)
     

# 505 standard (silver)
Black cowhide case and triple silver plated razor

 

  $ 5.00

# 505 AS
Black seal case and triple silver plated razor

# 505 AP
Pigskin case and triple silver plated razor

# 505 BS Black seal case and gold plated razor

 

   
# 505 BP (gold)
Pigskin case and gold plated razor
  $ 6.00
     
Razor design is the same as #500 from 1909.
This model was announced on "The saturday evening post" wall paper on December 1911 with all of the other models of the Gillette family.
On 1910 cataloges indicate "plush" lined.
Other later cataloges indicate "velvet" lined.
 
 

PRICES

#500
#501
#502
#503
#504
#505

(1910)