Items 47, 49-50, 159-161 – hairdressing tools

Alexander Anthony Scott, Peter Scott's great grandson, was a hairdresser by profession. He seemed to prefer this term to 'barber', which was exclusively applied to men. In the first half of the twentieth century, male hairdressers usually only had male clients and their work included grooming facial and head hair.

Item 47 – hair scissors (photo by Tom May, 2016)

Alex probably served an apprenticeship with a certified barber or hairdresser after he left school, then worked in a number of different hairdressing saloons including at Daylesford and Horsham. Several of Alex's hairdressing tools are in the Scott Chest; three cut throat razors, a pair of scissors, a honing stone, and a strop.

Item 50 – Gotta razor in Invicta case (photo by Tom May, 2016)

It required skill to use these tools safely and to maintain them, so men often went to certified male hairdressers or barbers rather than shave themselves at home. This only changed with the invention and adoption of safety and electric razors. Many men also appreciated being able to keep up with the latest styles, which evolved rapidly in the twentieth century.

Item 160 – Honing stone (photo by Tom May, 2016)

While Alex was in the Australian Army, he used his barber skills to earn extra money, and, as he wrote to his mother in 1942, 'I have been keeping my hand in shaving a few of the troops so I shall not get out of practice.' He also tended his own hair and beard. In 1943 he wrote: 'Have trimmed my Mo down considerable of late, it now has a very stream lined appearance and is very suave and all that but it is still dark ginger in color.' Alex used quality German and English razors with good reputations, and maintained the condition of their blades with a strop and a honing stone.

Item 161 – hand held paddle strop (photo by Tom May)

Physical descriptions
Item 47: Hair scissors, 18cm. Blade obverse: 'Razor Silver Steel'. Obverse joint position: 'BLECHMANN | SOLINGEN | MADE IN GERMANY'. Reverse joint position: 'GES. | GESCHÜTZT'. Condition very good.
Item 49: Gotta Razor and case. On blade: 'HAMBURG RING | REG GOTTA | SUPERFINE'. Condition of blade fair. On tang: 'WEST GERMANY'. Obverse shank: '120 GOTTA'. Reverse shank: 'FINEST SILVER STEEL FORGED AND GROUND IN SOLINGEN - GERMANY'. Faux ivory handle: 'GOTTA'. Condition of handle very good. Two part case made of dark blue cardboard. Case obverse: 'The Gotta Razor 8/9', 'Real hollow ground in Solingen Germany'. Condition of box very good.
Item 50: Gotta Razor in Invicta case. On blade: 'HAMBURG RING | REG GOTTA | SUPERFINE'. Condition of blade excellent. Obverse shank: '120 GOTTA'. Reverse shank: 'FINEST SILVER STEEL FORGED AND GROUND IN SOLINGEN - GERMANY'. Condition of handle excellent. Two part case in dark maroon cardboard. Case obverse: 'INVICTA RAZOR', 'MANUFACTURED BY | E. M. DICKINSON | SHEFFIELD - ENGLAND'. Condition of case fair.
Item 159: Invicta Razor with Gotta handle. Obverse shank: 'INVICTA '. Reverse shank: 'E. M. DICKINSON SHEFFIELD - ENGLAND'. Condition of blade fair. Condition of faux ivory handle fair. 
Item 160: Honing stone, 13cm x 5cm x 1cm. Obverse: 'DAMAS | CUS | RAZOR | HONE | PAT. AUG. O5 | V. J. ULERY CO. NEW YORK USA'.
Item 161: Strop, 30cm. Hand held wooden paddle with leather strip on obverse. 'MAMON | PARIS | FRANCE'.

References
Letter 30 September 1942 Alexander Anthony Scott to Alice Catherine Scott.
Letter 29 July 1943 Alexander Anthony Scott to Alice Catherine Scott.