Ever Ready Streamline/Jewel Razor

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Location
Cheshire, England
Acquired this razor on the Bay this week, has some brassing on handle ( which I plan on re-chroming ) not sure which model it is Steamline or Jewel due to the metal case it comes in,can anyone i.d correctly? Plan on shaving with it Monday, report on it on SOTD. Cheers.
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Was it from the Welsh lass on eBay? She sorted me out with an unboxed Streamline a couple of weeks ago.

Anyway ... underneath, it will say either Ever Ready or GEM. If it's an Ever Ready, it's a Streamline; GEM, it's a Jewel.

It's a lovely razor. If you've tried a 1912, you will not be disappointed. This is Rolls Royce of the 1912-style razors, heavy, sure-footed, well built and everything that the faster, more exciting models are, too.
 
Hi Paul, I used to think that was the definition between the models as well, but unfortunately it seems to be more complicated!

Check this picture (not mine):
erjewel.jpg


It shows the instructions for the "Ever-ready Jewel". I've seen some posts on t'other forum that argue the name is actually based on the set it comes in, particularly for the Ever Ready. They claim that the clam-shell plastic/bakelite cased models are the Ever Ready Streamlines, whilst the metal cased models are the Ever Ready Jewels - but that all GEM models were called "Jewels".

Now, I am definitely not an expert and I'm only repeating the claims from other people, so I can't back up any of this I'm afraid!

And just to stir the pot - what the hell is an Ever Ready or GEM Ambassador?


And here's an advert for the Ever Ready streamline - not proof that the metal cased one wasn't called the same, just evidence that the plastic/bakelite ones were!

everready2.jpg
 
To add a little to the debate, I have two versions of the Streamline - the older one differs in that it has larger apertures underneath to allow lather to get away. It also has a slimmer neck on the handle.

My understanding is that the boxes denote what the razor was called, the Ambassador came in green Bakelite or plastic. There're are some pics in the thread below.

http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/thread-20407.html?highlight=Streamline
 
I've seen your older version before Rob - and tried to wipe my memory of it! I don't need another razor to add to my "want" list! Out of interest, is there much difference in weight? You mention that the older one seems less aggressive, is the blade exposure etc. the same?

I've been trawling the other site for more pictures and came across these (eventually) that show the Ever Ready Jewel branded outer with the metal-cased razor:
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Here's a link to the original thread, for those not banned from the site!


And here's one of the many colours of the ambassador set -
orangered_ambassador.jpg
 
That is frustrating/interesting! Did GEM make any other razors in the UK? I know the ER 1912s can have "Made in England" on them, any similar GEMs? Perhaps they swapped some parts between factories for whatever reason? Maybe one closed down before the other and the stock was moved?
 
No! Emphatically no!

Until you find that 1912 that says "GEM ... Made in England" and then you pull that Keanu Reeves face.

No, GEM was a US brand. My thoughts on this are, we Brits made the self-same razors that we (and the US) branded as Ever Ready, but branded as GEM and send them over to Canada.

From my research into the companies, GEM, ASR & Star were three distinct companies, all of whom merged in 1919. So, the "1912" is actually just the GEM Damaskeene until 1919, upon which following the merger, the "1912" was then released under all three brand names and the Damaskeene dropped. Ever Ready already had the so-called "1914" and the "1924" both of which continued production after the merger (yes, the "1924" was produced prior to that date).

1930 saw GEM drop the "1912" altogether, Star taking over in the US. Britain continued with it under the Ever Ready brand. 1930s saw GEM move to the Micromatic and Ever Ready move off the 1914/1924 to the 1912 as the principal razor; we got the best Chain Link 1912s through the '30s. GEM did continue a 1912, but it was called the GEM Junior and had a slightly different comb.

Into the '50s, we're well established with the Micromatics from GEM in the US and then we started shifting into those interesting Streamline/Jewels as the pinnacle of our "1912" production. In the '50s we also pushed out some lovely "1912" sets.

Yes, I think stock did move, but I also think ASR were clever at streamlining their markets.
 
UKRob said:
To add a little to the debate, I have two versions of the Streamline - the older one differs in that it has larger apertures underneath to allow lather to get away. It also has a slimmer neck on the handle.

My understanding is that the boxes denote what the razor was called, the Ambassador came in green Bakelite or plastic. There're are some pics in the thread below.

http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/thread-20407.html?highlight=Streamline

I have two versions of the Streamline too. I actually prefer the one with the bigger holes (which is rarer apparently) but it's a very marginal difference.
 
pjgh said:
Was it from the Welsh lass on eBay? She sorted me out with an unboxed Streamline a couple of weeks ago.

Anyway ... underneath, it will say either Ever Ready or GEM. If it's an Ever Ready, it's a Streamline; GEM, it's a Jewel.

It's a lovely razor. If you've tried a 1912, you will not be disappointed. This is Rolls Royce of the 1912-style razors, heavy, sure-footed, well built and everything that the faster, more exciting models are, too.

No it was from a Fife Laddie, it says Ever Ready- British Made underneath.

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Thanks for all the info gents, so to clarify my razor in that set makes it a Jewel the same razor in bakelite/plastic clamshell is a Streamline, in a plastic rectangular case is a Ambassador! ASR were crafty in their repackaging of the same razor to maintain or increase their profit margin on what probably cost half a weeks wage.


Norfolkdick said:
Greetings

GEM did make some 1912's in England but they are very rare, it may well be the case that most of them were exported to Canada.

Have a look her:- http://theoriginalsafetytoo.proboar...de+in+England&who_only_made_by=0&display_as=0

Regards
Dick.

Any idea where the Ever Ready factory was located in England and years of production?
 
Corporate address was Ever-Ready Products Ltd, London, NW9; then, Ever-Ready Products Ltd, 28-26 Bedford Row, London, WC1.

Factories could have been anywhere, I guess.

On the Personna website (Personna now own ASR, who were a conglomerate of ASR, GEM & Star) 1920 is pinned as "ASR opens its first factory in England".
Here's a late film (1958) showing production of blades in a plant in Scotland: http://ssa.nls.uk/film/5409

I can't find much else specific.
 
pjgh said:
Corporate address was Ever-Ready Products Ltd, London, NW9; then, Ever-Ready Products Ltd, 28-26 Bedford Row, London, WC1.

Factories could have been anywhere, I guess.

On the Personna website (Personna now own ASR, who were a conglomerate of ASR, GEM & Star) 1920 is pinned as "ASR opens its first factory in England".
Here's a late film (1958) showing production of blades in a plant in Scotland: http://ssa.nls.uk/film/5409

I can't find much else specific.

Looks from the film clip the production of Corrux blades.
 
numerounoo said:
That, my friend is GEM Jewel. Very Rare. Luck to have it. ENjoy and shave on !! Did you shave with it yet?

Thank you,yes I have shaved with it a number of times including strangely this morning which will be posted in SoTD. To quote my first report in SoTD the razor is mild in my opinion.
 
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