Tanifuji (Fukutarō)

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Tanifuji (Fukutarō)
(Published, Aug. 27, 2016, Updated: 2018, Sept)

First of all, a BIG thank you for the contributions of:

• Straightrazorp(a)lace/SRP (in alphabetically order): Steve56, mainaman, and many others …

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TANIFUJI (Fukutarō)

Tanifuji Fukutarō
谷藤 福太郎
(°1894 April 1 – 1990) 

 

In the first decades of the 20th century, “Tanifuji Fukutaro”, °1894,
was the first to start manufacturing western style Japanese straight razors,
using Japanese traditional techniques & skills to manufacture his razors.
He worked at a razor manufacturing factory in Tōkyō, Sumida-ku (1)

Already as a child he was helping in the family store of pocket knifes (1)

His father “Tatsugorou” worked in the business at Kanda Kiji-chō
(now called Kanda, Awaji-chō, Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō) (1)

He soon moved and worked at a razor manufacturing factory in Suzaki-chō
(now 向島５丁目, or Mukōjima ５丁目(5-chome), Tōkyō, Sumida-ku, Japan),
where, in 1918, he succeeded in the production of an excellent domestic Western razor which sharpness was more excellent than a Western imported razor. The beauty of the shape of the razor was derived from Japanese traditional knife/sword skills technology (1)

Later on, a company was established in Sumida-ku, with a large number of cutlery craftsman. However, the invention of the safety razor, electric shaving machines, …
made that there was fewer demand for the Western straight razor

After Mr. Tanifuji had closed the production of his Western straight razors,
he transferred his main machinery and materials to Mr. Iwasaki, Sanjo Works

Master Tanifuji retired at the age of 79, around 1973

“Tanifuji Fukutaro“, famous as “Master of Razor”, was registered in 1986, Sumida-ku, “Intangible Cultural Properties”, as a technology certification holder (1) (2)

The Emperor Taisho shaved himself by a Tanifuji razor, he kept his beloved Tanifuji Fukutaro’s razor at Tokyo Sumida-ku government office, exhibiting it from time to time.

Master “Tanifuji Fukutaro” made razors (as a OEM) for the company 
“Nichiri” (Tokyo,Taito-ku)/”Nichiri Co.” (See Nichiri Co. ), which is one of the largest
barber shop and beauty salon equipment supplier in Japan.

He also made razors for  “TOKYO OSAKA YAMAAI Co.,Ltd.”
(this trademark is also seen as “YAMA”):
 

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There were several brands, such as: 

• Airi
   
  
• BA’BA (700, 1000, 1072)
   
   
    
  BA’BA (Bābā バーバー) = BABA is the Japanese pronunciation of the word “Barber”
• BULLDOG
• CAPE ((?) → See below)
  1000 CAPE, Swedish steel,
  Extra Hollow Ground, First Quality, N.R.K.
   
  (登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark
  谷藤 = Tanifuji, 福 in circles = Fukutarō)
  
• “77” Cape-Kennedy-Razor, NT-77, F. Tanifuji, Nichiri Co., Tokyo Japan
  (a limited series which “F. Tanifuji” made in 1971, when he was 77y. old
  By the way, between 1963 to 1973 “Cape Kennedy” was the official name
  for the area of “Cape Canaveral”)
  
   
  (登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark, 谷藤 = Tanifuji, 福太郎 = Fukutarō)
  (“Tanifuji” produced different razors for “Nichiri”)
  
• CLUB RAZOR (made in 1962)
   
   
  (登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark, 谷藤 = Tanifuji, 福 in circles
  = “Maru-Fuku”, though it probably means: Fukutarō (his forname))
  
• Command
• FAVORIT
• HELMAN (1958)
   
  
• HOLCO (555)
   
• IWASAKI T (marked with the sign of IWASAKI 岩崎 and a “T”)
   
  
• IWASAKI Tokiwa
   
  (㊂ = “Marusan” = sign/trademark of Iwasaki;トキワ = Tokiwa
  登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark
  谷藤 福太郎 = Tanifuji Fukutarō) → Also see “Iwasaki”,
  Tanifuji Fukutarō made razors for Iwasaki,
  and taught him as well how to make straight razors
  
• KINTAKA (60, Sculp – Sculpture Razor – Trademark) 
    
  
• KOKUOU 1978 AA, N79
  登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark
  谷藤 = Tanifuji, 福 in circles = Fukutarō
  Tanifuji Razor Registered Trade Mark
  
  
• König 47
   
   
  
• Marutama 5000 
   
  (登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark
  谷藤 = Tanifuji, 福 in circles = Fukutarō)
  
• Maxfli Gold (100, 2000,…)
  
   
  
• Maxfli 5000 Stainless Steel
   
• Mizukami 1500
   
  
• Rikishia, 666 Trademark Nichiri, 谷藤 = Tanifuji
  (“Tanifuji” produced different razors for “Nichiri” → Also see Nichiri Co.)
  
   
  
• RITUKY RAZOR
• Robuso, 1972 Silber – Stahl Garantie
  
   
  
• Sō bō 総房 
• Spalding
   
   
  
• TANIFUJI, No 1, Silver Steel
   
• TANIFUJI, Tanifuji Razor Registered, Trademark, 6125 Silver Steel
   
  
• TEN STAR
• TF. Hairop
   
       =  = 福 in circles = Fukutarō
  
• THREE DOLL 6428 Full Warranted 
   
  登録商標 = tōroku shōhyō = registered trademark
  谷藤 = Tanifuji, 福 in circles = Fukutarō
  
• Tokiwa (523)トキワ
   
• Uga 宇賀
   
  
• Wogen
• …

(Update ’18, Sept)

When comparing these 2 razors:

• IWASAKI Tokiwa
   
• Tokiwa (523)トキワ
    and knowing that
  “Tanifuji Fukutarō” made razors for “Iwasaki”, I believe it is very plausible
  that “Tokiwa” (トキワ) is a company’s name, and that “Iwasaki” also worked
  with “Tokiwa” (There are “Iwasaki – Tokiwa” razors as well → see Iwasaki)

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There are, although pretty rare, CAPE, CLUB RAZOR’s signed by Tanifuji. 

There also exists (much more!) CAPE, CLUB RAZOR’s,… that aren’t signed by Tanifuji…
For me, it is not clear that these razors were made by Tanifuji himself,
although they certainly also were produced at/for “Nichiri” and there could
be a link with “Perfect Works” (see further)…

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On bases of the paper, seen in the article “Nichiri Co. “,
we discover that the following symbol:

is in fact the trademark/symbol of the brand “CAPE” (ケープ = Kēpu = Cape)!
·
For now, IMHO, it seems that “CAPE” was a trademark of razors, made by
“F. Tanifuji”, “Perfect Works”, maybe others…, and distributed/sold
by “Nichiri” (or others as well).
·
For me, it is at this moment not clear if 
“F. Tanifuji” & “Perfect Works” are one and the same…
(Kikuboshi also seems involved, see further)

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CAPE

• CAPE, Trade Mark, All Steel, NICHIRI. KK.
  (without number, this one is a frame-back razor,
  the others, numbered ones, are full hollow ground razors)
   
• 30 CAPE, Swedish steel, For Barbers’ Use, First Quality
   
  30 CAPE, Swedisch Steel, (Meiji centenary model, made around 1968,
  → see Japanese markings, kanji, symbols →  “Meiji centenary model”)
    
• 35 CAPE, Swedish steel, For Barbers’ Use, First Quality
   
  35 CAPE, Swedish Steel, Cape Razor, Particular Hollow Ground,
  (Meiji centenary model, made around 1968,
  → see Japanese markings, kanji, symbols →  “Meiji centenary model”)
   
• 500 CAPE, Swedish steel, PERFECT WORKS, Silver Steel,
  For Barbers’Use, First Quality
   
   
• 650 CAPE, Swedish steel, PERFECT WORKS, Silver Steel
   
• 700 CAPE (Dreit-werkje? → Maybe “Drei Werke” = 3 factories?)
   
• 750 CAPE, Swedish steel, For Barbers’ Use, First Quality
   
• 850 CAPE, Swedish steel, For Barbers’ Use, First Quality
   
• 1000 CAPE, Swedish steel, For Barbers’ Use, First Quality,
  Extra Hollow Ground, First Quality, N.R.K.
   
  
• 1372 CAPE, Swedish steel, For Barbers’ Use, First Quality, NICHIRI 
   
   
   
• 2000 CAPE, Swedish steel, For Barbers’ Use, First Quality, Tokyo NICHIRI Osaka
   
   

CLUB RAZOR

• 2000 Club Razor, Fukutaro Tanifuji Sei, Registered Trademark
  Club Razor For Barbers, PERFECT WORKS, Silver Steel
   
  The box and the tang has the same “Registers Trademark” of 2 Clubs,
  this is identical with the “Tanifuji” signed Club Razor (See above).
  On the same razor we find “Club Razor” & the trademark together with
  “Perfect Works”, linking “Perfect works” with Tanifuji!
  (See above → Cape, Perfect Works)
  Regretfully I don’t know what the exact link is, maybe Tanifuji owned this factory, but didn’t make these razors himself, or they used  his name, I really don’t know…
• We also can see “PERFECT WORKS” on some “Kikuboshi” razors:
  8600 Kikuboshi, extra hollow ground, PERFECT WORKS, silver steel 
  Also see → Kikuboshi – Takehana
  I don’t understand the connection yet…

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References:

(1) seiyoukamisoridaizen.blog.so-net.ne.jp

(2) wikipedia.org/wiki/Intangible_Cultural_Property_(Japan)
無形文化財: “Intangible Cultural Properties” of Japan, as defined by the Japanese government’s Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties (1950), are Cultural Properties of high historical or artistic value such as drama, music, and craft techniques. The term refers exclusively to human skills possessed by individuals or groups which are indispensable to produce Cultural Properties. Items of particular importance can be designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties .

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