Questions On Edison Shavers

[Phonofreak]

In the Yankee Trader, there was a cast iron Edison shaver for sale. I asked about the Wooden shaver in the Triumph like case. I also have the small one with the Edison script. It is basically a box with a mandrel, crank, and a long knife. I know of these three. Were there any other models of Edison shavers? If so, I would like to know about them.
Harvey Kravitz

[rgordon939]

There is the Edison electric shaver from 1912. Also there were other makers of shavers such as the Dictaphone Model 7 and the Dictaphone Model 10. You can see them listed at this link.

http://www.officemuseum.com/dictating_machines.htm

Rich Gordon

[victorIIvictor]

of course, the Dictaphones were not Edison products.

Best wishes, Mark

[alang]

In the Yankee Trader, there was a cast iron Edison shaver for sale. I asked about the Wooden shaver in the Triumph like case. I also have the small one with the Edison script. It is basically a box with a mandrel, crank, and a long knife. I know of these three. Were there any other models of Edison shavers? If so, I would like to know about them.
Harvey Kravitz

I think there were two versions of the small basic shaver with the long knife, one with a shorter and one with a longer handle. Not sure what the other differences were? Or am I thinking of home made modifications?

Andreas

[phonogfp]

I think there were two versions of the small basic shaver with the long knife, one with a shorter and one with a longer handle. Not sure what the other differences were? Or am I thinking of home made modifications?

Andreas

You're right Andreas. The long handle version also has a longer wooden base to counter the increased leverage of the longer handle. The box and other components remained the same as the earlier short handle version (shown below).

George P.

[rgordon939]

Here is a picture of my small shaver your speaking about. It is all original and purchased from Charlie Hummel. I think there was just one version of it. But I must admit I have seen many where the front portion of the base was cut off leaving just the rectangular box. I have seen others where the handle on the blade either broke or was lost and replacements were made, or the crank was replaced with a different crank.

Rich Gordon

[phonogfp]

Here is a picture of my small shaver your speaking about. It is all original and purchased from Charlie Hummel. I think there was just one version of it. But I must admit I have seen many where the front portion of the base was cut off leaving just the rectangular box. I have seen others where the handle on the blade either broke or was lost and replacements were made, or the crank was replaced with a different crank.

Rich Gordon

The shaver pictured above on the bricks is completely original. No portion of the base was cut off, nor was the handle shortened or replaced. It's just the earlier version.

George P.

[phonogfp]

My curiosity was piqued by the "earlier" and "later" models of the Home Shaving Machine, so I did a little digging. Although I'm certain I've seen a catalog illustration of this, I could not find one tonight. And although the device's availability was announced in the August 1912 issue of The Edison Phonograph Monthly, it was not illustrated.

This advertisement appeared in the December 1912 issue of The Talking Machine World:

The machine pictured above in December 1912 is clearly the long-handled version. If it is the later of the two versions, that would suggest the short-handled version was available for no more than 90 days. This seems unlikely. Yet, that short handle required far more pressure to be exerted than the long-handled version, so I have surmised that the longer handle (and added longer base board) was an improvement. I'd be interested in seeing any other dated period illustrations of either version of the Home Shaving Machine.

Below are a couple more photos of the example pictured above on a brick walk. You can see the original (rock-hard) rubber feet on the bottom, and the original blade handle (which was cracked and required repair). I bought this shaver out of a house, and I have no doubt of its originality.

George P.

[phonogfp]

I may be the only one interested in this sub-topic, but at the risk of self-indulgence, I'll make one more post related to it.

Earlier, I wrote that I was certain I had seen a catalog illustration of the Home Shaving Machine but couldn't locate it at the time. Last night it hit me: it's in the 1914 catalog of Edison Diamond Amberolas. As seen in the scan below, the long-handled version is shown - - in fact, it appears to be the same cut used in the December 1912 advertisement that appeared in The Talking Machine World. This is what prompted me to regard the long-handled version as the later, improved model.

George P.

[long_island_phono]

I may be the only one interested in this sub-topic, but at the risk of self-indulgence, I'll make one more post related to it.

There's at least one other, George. It looks like I failed to consider the 4-minute shavers for my shaving machine database, but are there even any serial numbers present? I can't see any indication from the photos.