The safety razor came out in the late 1800s, and was being marketed more and more aggressively in the leadup to the turn of the century. In 1901, King Camp Gillette pioneered something that would change the men’s grooming industry forever:

A safety razor with a disposable blade. For the first time, the necessity of sharpening, stropping and cleaning one’s razor blades – all of them essential skills that any well-groomed man had to master up until that point – would be a thing of the past.

The rise of the compact safety razor with disposable blades was such a game-changer that almost immediately, safety-razor manufacturers like GEM or AUTOSTROP, GILLETTE and STAR, started producing handsome, all-inclusive cased razor-sets, trying to maximise on the luxury market.

Sets could be incredibly elaborate, with blade-stroppers, shaving-stick tubes, blade-banks and all other kinds of accessories thrown in, but companies like Gillette also realised that they could make a lot of money by appealing to men who were looking for something elegant, but also compact. Travel sets which held all the essentials without being excessively bulky also became extremely popular with travelers moving around the world by train, car, and ocean liner in the early 1900s.

One of the earliest examples of these super-compact travel sets were the ones that Gillette made for the U.S. Army during WWI. When the doughboys went off to fight the Hun in the trenches of France and Belgium, Gillette had a contract with the U.S. Army to supply soldiers with basic, and easy-to-use shaving kits. Unlike in the Civil War, or the Spanish-American War, this time, U.S. soldiers were expected to be clean-shaven and neat, so that their gas-masks could fit comfortably (and securely) around their faces – something that you couldn’t do if you were sporting a beard worthy of a 19th-century sea-captain.

When the war ended in 1918, and travel resumed in the 1920s and 30s, Gillette began making an even wider range of portable shaving kits, and it was during this period that my kit was made.

1920s Gillette Safety Razor Travel Kit – Breakdown

So, here we have the set – made in the USA back in about 1920 – it’s solid brass, and would originally have been gilded (gold-plated) to reduce the chances of the brass tarnishing, and losing its shine. 101 years later, and most of the gilding has worn off, but you can still see what a beautiful set it would once have been.

Here we have the set, with the razor-head (left), blade-bank (right), and the screw-on handle (at the bottom) inside the beautiful cloth-lined brass carry-case.

The set comes with its original “ball-end” razor handle, typical of Gillette sets in the early 20th century, with crosshatching along the sides to make it easier to grip. Straighter handles without the balled ends would not turn up until the 30s, 40s and 50s.

The outside of the box is smooth brass, with this woven design on the lid, reminiscent of a wicker basket, complete with a flat, rectangular cartouche – a useful place to engrave a date, initials, or a name – razor sets were popular gifts back in the early 1900s. This one is beautifully smooth, with no engravings, or any evidence of previous engravings, so it’s in original condition, exactly as it would’ve looked when new.

One of the most remarkable things about this set is the fact that the interior velvet lining has survived. Usually, stuff like this rots away, or peels out, or wears and tears, until it just drops out of the box. Not only has this survived, but also the gold-leaf stamped lettering on the underside of the lid. Usually, stuff like this is the first to go, simply because it’s so fragile. Here, it’s intact, and all complete.

Closing Remarks

I’d been looking at sets like this for years, and finally decided to acquire one. This one was found on eBay, and was the best condition for the best price that I could find. It was also compact, robust and still presented itself very attractively. Personally, I’m more of a straight-razor user, but in a pinch, this is also a very elegant alternative to those who prefer more traditional methods of shaving. I love antique brassware for its simplicity and beauty, and at any rate, it’s also a fascinating glimpse at the birth of the first generations of safety razors at the turn of the last century.