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Home archaeology - new info!

Recently while doing a home renovation project, I found some razor blades in my wall.

I’ve learned since I published that piece that some medicine cabinets in the middle of the 20th century actually had a slit in them, for the express purpose of razor blade disposal. So it’s very likely that these blades were intentionally dropped into the wall, never to be found again. Thanks to my friends Steve and Marie, who each independently grew up in houses with similar medicine cabinets. Without their input I never would have known of such a cabinet!

Also, my friend Satoshi pointed out to me that the Carey’s blades are likely products of the company that is now Carey International, Inc., self-described as “the world’s leading provider of chauffeured transportation.” J. P. Carey was a barber and entrepreneur, and started a barbershop at New York’s Grand Central Station. His business in Grand Central grew such that he offered other services, including a limousine service. It was the limousine service that really took off and is why Carey’s company is still around today.

Thanks for your help, friends!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 8:59 am and is filed under About Me, Random. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

3 Responses to “Home archaeology - new info!”

  1. Home archaeology Says:
    July 1st, 2009 at 9:05 am

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  2. Linder Says:
    July 1st, 2009 at 9:17 pm

    I was just going to say the bit about the Razor blade disposal thing in the medicine cabinets. I remember in my grandparents house, all the medicine cabinets had that and I always wondered if they just fell into the wall or if there was a receptical that was going to fill up to overflowing any day.

    Then again, one never knows if before Stanley and Lennox, maybe Gilette was the prefered glass scraping and joint tape cutting tool.

    I’m sure I’ve left umpteen utility knives in drop ceilings and walls before in my life.

    I’d hot glue them to a piece of matboard and hang them in a shadow box in the bathroom above the medicine cabinet - that’s what I’d do.

    :)

  3. Tom Says:
    July 9th, 2009 at 8:53 am

    I remember the blade disposal in our medicine cabinet, and my dad used it, back in the day.

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