ID brush?

[bythbook]

I picked this up a year ago - branded Abercrombie & Fitch - perhaps produced in the '70s or '80s. Can anyone read a bar code?

It looks quite like the Rooney Heritage Alibaba... size 1?

I'd appreciate your ideas....

thanks!


.

 

[bradyarz]

just curious... what are you hoping to find in the bar code? it's been a little while since i could read the actual "code" (yes, i'm a nerd), but it will either correspond to the set of numbers on top or underneath the bar code, i.e. it's already been read for you...

edit: in addition, it's usually a proprietary sku, so unless they stuck with the original manufacturer's number (which i'm assuming is what you're trying to find) it won't mean too much to you.

 

[bythbook]

just curious... what are you hoping to find in the bar code? it's been a little while since i could read the actual "code" (yes, i'm a nerd), but it will either correspond to the set of numbers on top or underneath the bar code, i.e. it's already been read for you...

edit: in addition, it's usually a proprietary sku, so unless they stuck with the original manufacturer's number (which i'm assuming is what you're trying to find) it won't mean too much to you.

I'd like to find a date... I have no idea what information might be encoded there.

 

[bradyarz]

the most common bar codes consist of a total of 4 bars and spaces per number, with each bar or space being between 1 and 4 units wide. on the left side of the code the numbers are made by space-bar-space-bar, or sbsb. on the right side, it's bsbs. there is also often a starting and ending sequence. i can't remember the exact codes for each number, so i can't read it for you outright, but i'm relatively (99%) sure it's not the 0006.... number. it's most likely the 6400.... number. as to exactly what those numbers mean, well you're on your own now.

 

[Amer]

I'm fairly certain that you probably won't find any date information from that barcode. It's simply the rendering of the 640- number that is below it. The entire point of the barcode is just to make it faster for the cashier to scan instead of typing in the number to ring up the item.

You might have better luck with the numbers below the A&F brand, but it's most likely not going to give you a specific date. It might be the model number, etc. though.

 

[bythbook]

I'm fairly certain that you probably won't find any date information from that barcode. It's simply the rendering of the 640- number that is below it. The entire point of the barcode is just to make it faster for the cashier to scan instead of typing in the number to ring up the item.

You might have better luck with the numbers below the A&F brand, but it's most likely not going to give you a specific date. It might be the model number, etc. though.

OK, barcode won't tell me, "item entered into inventory this day 1/21/1981."

gotcha.


Pretty brush, though, innit?

 

[heirkb]

A pretty cool brush. I like it's color.
It must have been a pretty overpriced brush for its time. My guess is that it can't be any younger than a 90's brush, and 60 bucks for a pure badger brush in the 90's seems like a lot to pay.

 

[bythbook]

A pretty cool brush. I like it's color.
It must have been a pretty overpriced brush for its time. My guess is that it can't be any younger than a 90's brush, and 60 bucks for a pure badger brush in the 90's seems like a lot to pay.

I don't think A&F was selling shaving brushes in the '90s - they had become a rich kids' tee-shirt shop by then. I believe they gave up the ghost as a quality men's store in the '70s.

Bar codes were introduced widely in the early/mid '70s, so certainly the brush is not older than that.

I would be surprised if the brush is not 30 years old.

So... still hoping to narrow it down... anyone out there have an old A&F catalogue from the '70s-'80s?

 

[Greybeard]

I don't think A&F was selling shaving brushes in the '90s - they had become a rich kids' tee-shirt shop by then.

I've worked with the retail industry most of my adult life. That changeover came in 1988 when they were purchased by The Limited (Victoria's Secret, Bath and Body Works, Lane, Bryant, et al) and started being run by Mike Jeffries.

I believe they gave up the ghost as a quality men's store in the '70s.

Even though they struggled financially starting in the late 60's, they continued to sell quality goods until the early 80's.

Bar codes were introduced widely in the early/mid '70s, so certainly the brush is not older than that.

The early adopters of bar coding were grocery stores starting in 1974. Even though the technology was widely available in 1971, the retailers had to have a majority of their suppliers on board before it could be implemented. The earliest other retail chains changed over to bar coding was 1978.

I'd be comfortable dating your brush between 1978 - 1985.



- Peter

 

[Schwert]

A&F changed into the teen machine it is now in 1988, so I would bet that brush is probably 80's vintage. Looks sort of like an EJ to me.

 

[bythbook]

...

Even though they struggled financially starting in the late 60's, they continued to sell quality goods until the early 80's.

...The earliest other retail chains changed over to bar coding was 1978.

I'd be comfortable dating your brush between 1978 - 1985.

- Peter

A&F changed into the teen machine it is now in 1988, so I would bet that brush is probably 80's vintage. Looks sort of like an EJ to me.

You guys are great! This all makes very good sense - so maybe 20 - 25 years young, this brush.

Here's where I got the idea this is related to a Rooney Alibaba:

Rooney image copied from Vintage Blades.

 

[Schwert]

A&F was a super high-end place....I would not doubt that whatever they sold was from a top end maker...that Rooney certainly has the form.

I moved to Seattle in 1983. A&F had a store downtown. I went in once and immediately knew I had made a mistake...no way was it my sort of place. Everything was so expensive. Luxury outdoor goods that just made no real sense anymore. I can see why they went belly up as I think their target customers all likely died in about 1905. They did sample me some A&F cologne that even if I was dead I could never wear.

 

[Greybeard]

You guys are great! This all makes very good sense - so maybe 20 - 25 years young, this brush.

Here's where I got the idea this is related to a Rooney Alibaba:

Rooney image copied from Vintage Blades.

I think you're right. The red box in the background of your picture also looks like a Rooney box. I've seen other vintage Rooneys (as well as current production) come in the same type of red box.

The price of $60. for that time period would also indicate a high quality brush. It's beautiful. Congratulations on a great score.




- Peter

 

[heirkb]

Wow I never knew that Abercrombie was a luxury store at some point. I've always imagined it as the place where prissy punks shop for crappy clothes at crazy prices.
It's too bad they changed, considering they used to sell nice brushes like the one you have now Jon.

 

[SRock]

Wow I never knew that Abercrombie was a luxury store at some point. I've always imagined it as the place where prissy punks shop for crappy clothes at crazy prices.
It's too bad they changed, considering they used to sell nice brushes like the one you have now Jon.

 

[bythbook]

Wow I never knew that Abercrombie was a luxury store at some point. I've always imagined it as the place where prissy punks shop for crappy clothes at crazy prices.
It's too bad they changed, considering they used to sell nice brushes like the one you have now Jon.

Think about Ernest Hemingway on safari. A&F were the outfitters for that kind of rich man's expedition. When I was a kid I'd occasionally get hold of an A&F catalogue - in the '60s - 1000 dollar fly fishing rods & reels. Zebra skin stuff.

It was a catalogue of dreams.

And I guess they sold badger hair brushes, too!

 

[BroJohn]

They also sold the very finest high grade shotguns. Works of art, really.

Too bad they turned into a junk store.

-- John Gehman