Victorian, companion to the Emillion?

The Victorian is clearly well constructed from quality materials, and has a solid, durable feel. It's pleasing to hold and view. The only flaw IMO is the printing, which is lampblack or something similar that I am sure will eventually rub off. Still, it has stood up fine so far, and at least Rooney doesn't use those decals which inevitably chip and peel off.
Rooney's Super Badger hair is excellent. The tips are soft on the face. Yet it has excellent backbone, probably due at least in part to its very high density. It stands up very well for face lathering, whips up lather effortlessly in either face or bowl lathering, and in paintbrush mode lays down a thick, even layer of lather. And it always holds enough lather to give you another pass.
The handle's proportions look awkward in contrast to the knot, but in practice it is well-nigh perfect. It has a substantial, quality feel. Its length and the rings make it easy to grasp for bowl lather whipping and face painting; the slight flare at the bottom and large flat surface make it perfect for palming for face lathering; the broad flat bottom and weight make it easy to set down on a countertop and stable once it's there. I know the Emillion's handle has a cult following. The stately Vic is better.
There is no "perfect" brush, but this one is mighty mighty good and is one of my favorite brushes ever. Is it worth four times what a Vulfix 660S costs? For one shave, no. For ten shaves, no. For a lifetime of shaves, definitely, without question.

We've all either sung the praises of the Rooney Emillion or have heard them sung. Well, now, another great brush. I've been trying the Victorian for the past couple weeks, and it's in the same league, if not a slightly higher one.

The loft here is 50mm, and the handle...picture an Emillion handle on steroids, about one and a half times the height of the Emillion. The bristles are just about identical to the E, dense as a Costa Rican forest, soft as a puppy's belly.

And the handle presents all sorts of options. Hold it like the E, hold it like a paintbrush, hold it like a pencil. Paint your face with lather from the bowl, hold it with the base in the palm of your hand with your fingers on the upper handle and do some face lathering. Even with a 24mm knot, there is no splay on the face.The bristles are so resilient that it feels like a brush with a 21 or 22mm knot...except every other stroke or two when you feel the sweep of the whole head caressing your cheek or chin. Very un-Victorian.

If you like to lather in the bowl, then hold this babe at the end and just use a little wrist action. I made a lather in 30 seconds. Its length makes it like a whisk and I think that's what made the air-water-cream combination happen so quickly.

Aesthetically, it does take you back to the ornate Victorian era. It may be too much for some, but I've come to see it as tall and stately, with curves that fit the hand and the stand. About the stand--you'll need a high one to invert and dry this leggy Queen. I found one at either Emily's or Vintage.

Price? About $20 more than the Emillion, I guess that's for the extra acrylic in the handle! But it's also for the extras that you get in terms of the attractiveness of the brush and the multiple ways to use it and to make up lather. Of course, you're also paying for the densest brush on the market (apologies to Chubby owners...I own a CH2 and the Victorian really is more dense.) And perhaps the softest...I can't figure out how these bristles are softer than the Rooney Super or the Simpson Best, but they are.

If you're looking for another Heritage to add to the pleasure of the Emillion, this sinuous beauty will be a good choice.

Best regards,

Jay

photo courtesy www.vintagebladesllc.com