This is one of the few razor and blade companies that is still 'alive' after a century. It is a very wide safety razor and has one original razor blade in the pack that you must hang on to, or try and sharpen. There seems to be two makes of blades available for this and other Durham razors in various thicknesses and materials. We'll see if we can get a pack or two over our 'travels' but have a search on the net if you want to turn this beast into a regular shaver, a quick search presented some results here. The top lid of the box has one side missing, but a nice razor, blade and pamphlet makes this something for the display cupboard also.
Durham Razor Company Inc was founded in New York, USA in 1875 with a manufacturing facility set up in Jersey City to make the revolutionary Durham-Duplex safety razor system, which is where the Company’s unusual name comes from.
The innovative “Durham” slotted blade, named after the inventors, was considered to be a major technological advance in comparison to the traditional cut throat razor as the double edged “Duplex” steel razor blade could be re-sharpened on the strop almost indefinitely until being replaced without needing a new handle – offering both a considerable saving and a safe way to shave. It was a popular shaving system and used widely through the late 19th to mid 20th Century.