Vintage HESS brush - anyone got any info?

[Northstonehill]

Gents, I received this HESS vintage brush today as part of a lot with a 1920s razor. But it really does not look that old. In awesome shape, even looks reknotted as the knot (synthetic?) seems like new...

Would love any info on this. I find it rather awesome looking

 

[Northstonehill]

Found some info myself. It is indeed a HESS Barber’s favorite #2. There seems to have been at least 3 versions (sizes?).

Hess is an old company based out of Minnesota that used to sell shaving equipment and today sells hair products and the like. The company’s full name is Hess Hair Milk Laboratories. Many razor people like the Hess branded straight razors that were imported from Germany decades ago.

 

[Northstonehill]

Gotta love the internet. Found this wounderful story of the company written by the owner (no less) 12 years ago. The company appears to be in operation still to this day:

“Well, the whole story behind the Hair Milk name is that back in 1910 when my great great grandfather came up with the idea for a product that got rid of gray hair, so he and a couple other barbers began to come up with some formulas and they came up with a product that looked like milk... hence the name. However, in the mid 70's they tried to tell my grandfather that he had to pay for a boiler license and hire professional boiler operators and this he didn't want to do, it was ment to remain a family thing only. He shut down production of the hair milk and we just continued to sell products around the world to barber shops and salons at whole sale prices. The original steel vats and all the production equiptment is still upstairs in our building. Did you ever know there used to be a house attatched to where the warehouse is right now?
How do I know all this and more... it's my company... well my family's company... just my father and I run the entire thing now that my grandfather has retired.”

 

[ajkel64]

It is a nice looking brush. I was never a fan of that style of handle but that style of handle is growing on me.

 

[BigJ]

Gotta love the internet. Found this wounderful story of the company written by the owner (no less) 12 years ago. The company appears to be in operation still to this day:

“Well, the whole story behind the Hair Milk name is that back in 1910 when my great great grandfather came up with the idea for a product that got rid of gray hair, so he and a couple other barbers began to come up with some formulas and they came up with a product that looked like milk... hence the name. However, in the mid 70's they tried to tell my grandfather that he had to pay for a boiler license and hire professional boiler operators and this he didn't want to do, it was ment to remain a family thing only. He shut down production of the hair milk and we just continued to sell products around the world to barber shops and salons at whole sale prices. The original steel vats and all the production equiptment is still upstairs in our building. Did you ever know there used to be a house attatched to where the warehouse is right now?
How do I know all this and more... it's my company... well my family's company... just my father and I run the entire thing now that my grandfather has retired.”

Great looking brush! And thanks for the backstory!!