I have exceeded my self-imposed brush limit and need to move some brushes. There will be more to follow but these duplicates need to go first. Prices include paypal fees and US shipping and insurance, international inquiries welcome, but packages will need to be insured which is not inexpensive. There will not be any price drops, these brushes will head to eBay if not sold here.
As for trades I am willing to consider the following:
Wiborg Brush
Straight Razors in Excellent Condition
Razor Hones in Excellent Condition (already have 1k, 4k and 8k combo)
Rooney Heritage Brushes
On left: Vintage Plisson "Beehive" HMW - (23 x 54mm knot) This brush has seen plenty of use but still performs like a champ. There are some minor chips in the handle and the knot is showing some wear, but it is an absolute pleasure to use. The tips are as soft as you can get without being "gel-like" and the backbone is moderate. Here is your chance to try a legendary brush without breaking the bank! $65 SOLD
Middle: Vintage Rooney Pewter Chubby Best Badger - (22 x 54mm knot) This is a unique brush that I have never seen elsewhere. It is my second Rooney pewter brush and is very ergonomic and soft on the face. There is a small dent on the base where it looks like it was dropped and a small portion of the knot has been trimmed by a previous owner (front and center in the first picture). You could reknot this handle but the vintage hair is absolutely worth using. $55
Right: Vintage Abercrombie & Fitch Stainless Steel Alibaba - (21 x 52mm knot) I'm not sure who the OEM is on this brush, but am guessing it is one of the old English brands. The knot has something weird going on at the base (it looks like the string used to tie the knot is sticking out), but is firmly held in place and does not shed. The handle is ergonomic and very heavy and could use a good polish. I have not seen many of these brushes around and there isn't any information that I could find about the time period or origin. $60
On the Left: Da Vinci Model 296 (23 x 54mm knot) - An excellent silvertip knot with moderate backbone and super soft tips paired with a classic faux ivory handle. This was my first Da Vinci brush and after trying some others this was the only one that I kept. Now it is indeed the best Da Vinci brush that I have used, but it just doesn't command attention in my collection so it's gotta go. These retail for $120 on Amazon, take this one for $60!
Middle: Unused Taylor of Old Bond Street Pure Badger Brush - A thoughtful gift from a colleague but one that will never see use in my house. Retail looks to be around $35 online, take this for $20. SOLD
On the Right: Thater 4125-1 Two Band (25 x 52mm knot) - Easily the best German brush knot in my collection, super soft tips with moderate backbone in this perfectly shaped bulb knot. Retail is $155, yours for $90. TRADE PENDING
On the left: Simpson OB3 For Gimbel's (Persian Jar Best Badger) - This brush has a knot measuring 21mm in diameter with a 49mm loft. I feel confident that this hair has softer tips than any brush coming out of the factory today. The backbone is pretty light but I used the brush to face lather soaps successfully several times so more than adequate for that purpose. The handle has some minor defects surrounding the knot and the knot itself is displaying early signs of wear in the center. It is not a shedder but a replacement knot should be in mind at some point in the future. $70 PENDING
On the right: Simpson MF6 For Marshall Field Co. (Commodore X3 Best Badger) - This knot at 23mm in diamater and 55mm loft shares much of the characteristics of the OB3 listed above: very soft tips, light backbone and some wear. The handle still has some remnants from the original price tag on the bottom and a couple of superficial hairline cracks on the backside. The cracks are very stable and last year I restored a Duke with similar cracks which survived the drilling and internal sanding required to do the job. Again a replacement knot should be considered at some point. $60
On the left: Geo F. Trumper JB2 (Persian Jar Best Badger) - I purchased this brush as NOS and have used it a few times since. The knot measures 22mm in diameter with a 51mm loft and has more backbone than the butterscotch models above, but the tips aren't as soft either. Of course with some more breaking in the tips might turn out to be very nice indeed. There are no major defects, just some very light spots on the handle that could likely be polished out if perfection is sought. $125
On the right: Geo F. Trumper GT2 (Duke 2 Best Badger) - Another NOS brush that was at one time one of my favorites. I then acquired a butterscotch version and this brush has sat ever since. The knot measures as 22mm in diameter with a 44mm loft which makes it a scrubby little beast with softer tips. Again there are no major defects and it this case no minor ones either. $150
(The box in the background of these pictures is not original to either brush but will be included to the first buyer/trader of one of these two that requests it).
As for trades I am willing to consider the following:
Wiborg Brush
Straight Razors in Excellent Condition
Razor Hones in Excellent Condition (already have 1k, 4k and 8k combo)
Rooney Heritage Brushes
On left: Vintage Plisson "Beehive" HMW - (23 x 54mm knot) This brush has seen plenty of use but still performs like a champ. There are some minor chips in the handle and the knot is showing some wear, but it is an absolute pleasure to use. The tips are as soft as you can get without being "gel-like" and the backbone is moderate. Here is your chance to try a legendary brush without breaking the bank! $65 SOLD
Middle: Vintage Rooney Pewter Chubby Best Badger - (22 x 54mm knot) This is a unique brush that I have never seen elsewhere. It is my second Rooney pewter brush and is very ergonomic and soft on the face. There is a small dent on the base where it looks like it was dropped and a small portion of the knot has been trimmed by a previous owner (front and center in the first picture). You could reknot this handle but the vintage hair is absolutely worth using. $55
Right: Vintage Abercrombie & Fitch Stainless Steel Alibaba - (21 x 52mm knot) I'm not sure who the OEM is on this brush, but am guessing it is one of the old English brands. The knot has something weird going on at the base (it looks like the string used to tie the knot is sticking out), but is firmly held in place and does not shed. The handle is ergonomic and very heavy and could use a good polish. I have not seen many of these brushes around and there isn't any information that I could find about the time period or origin. $60
On the Left: Da Vinci Model 296 (23 x 54mm knot) - An excellent silvertip knot with moderate backbone and super soft tips paired with a classic faux ivory handle. This was my first Da Vinci brush and after trying some others this was the only one that I kept. Now it is indeed the best Da Vinci brush that I have used, but it just doesn't command attention in my collection so it's gotta go. These retail for $120 on Amazon, take this one for $60!
Middle: Unused Taylor of Old Bond Street Pure Badger Brush - A thoughtful gift from a colleague but one that will never see use in my house. Retail looks to be around $35 online, take this for $20. SOLD
On the Right: Thater 4125-1 Two Band (25 x 52mm knot) - Easily the best German brush knot in my collection, super soft tips with moderate backbone in this perfectly shaped bulb knot. Retail is $155, yours for $90. TRADE PENDING
On the left: Simpson OB3 For Gimbel's (Persian Jar Best Badger) - This brush has a knot measuring 21mm in diameter with a 49mm loft. I feel confident that this hair has softer tips than any brush coming out of the factory today. The backbone is pretty light but I used the brush to face lather soaps successfully several times so more than adequate for that purpose. The handle has some minor defects surrounding the knot and the knot itself is displaying early signs of wear in the center. It is not a shedder but a replacement knot should be in mind at some point in the future. $70 PENDING
On the right: Simpson MF6 For Marshall Field Co. (Commodore X3 Best Badger) - This knot at 23mm in diamater and 55mm loft shares much of the characteristics of the OB3 listed above: very soft tips, light backbone and some wear. The handle still has some remnants from the original price tag on the bottom and a couple of superficial hairline cracks on the backside. The cracks are very stable and last year I restored a Duke with similar cracks which survived the drilling and internal sanding required to do the job. Again a replacement knot should be considered at some point. $60
On the left: Geo F. Trumper JB2 (Persian Jar Best Badger) - I purchased this brush as NOS and have used it a few times since. The knot measures 22mm in diameter with a 51mm loft and has more backbone than the butterscotch models above, but the tips aren't as soft either. Of course with some more breaking in the tips might turn out to be very nice indeed. There are no major defects, just some very light spots on the handle that could likely be polished out if perfection is sought. $125
On the right: Geo F. Trumper GT2 (Duke 2 Best Badger) - Another NOS brush that was at one time one of my favorites. I then acquired a butterscotch version and this brush has sat ever since. The knot measures as 22mm in diameter with a 44mm loft which makes it a scrubby little beast with softer tips. Again there are no major defects and it this case no minor ones either. $150
(The box in the background of these pictures is not original to either brush but will be included to the first buyer/trader of one of these two that requests it).
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