What are the best vintage brushes to look for?

[Edgelord]

Just like the title says… what are the best vintage shaving brushes to look for?

I only have one vintage brush and one modern brush.

I want to start a collection of vintage brushes. What are the white whales and holy grails of vintage shaving brushes?

 

[nemo]

Simpson or Rooney badger brushes that have turned butterscotch.

 

[Edgelord]

Simpson or Rooney badger brushes that have turned butterscotch.

Awesome…

You are not going to believe what my one vintage brush is…

What color was it when it was new?

I bought this at an antique shop based on nothing other than I thought it looked nice. The handle is way bigger than the modern one that I have been using for the last 15 years.

I will watch for a Simpson now.

 

[dmshaver]

That's a nice Rooney, congratulations!

 

[Wombat ESQ]

Frankly, If you starting out brush collecting, I would not pass up any brush in such good condition as this little beauty

Spoiler: A valet charmer, top condition, one owner, low milage.

 

[Legion]

This one.

 

[Legion]

Are you wanting something NOS to use as is, or a handle to restore and reknot?

There are a lot of cool looking vintage handles, but if you are going to put in your own knot the brand doesn't really matter. Just buy what you like the look of.

 

[Edgelord]

View attachment 1827352


This one.

Is that Bakelite?

 

[Legion]

Is that Bakelite?

I think the top and bottom are catalin, and the middle is a semi translucent celluloid? Looks a bit like amber or tortoise. Maybe acetate.

 

[Wombat ESQ]

a nice brush, nothing special as a brand ... just a nice color, box is a bonus

 

[Edgelord]

a nice brush, nothing special as a brand ... just a nice color, box is a bonus

View attachment 1827375

Don’t discount the matching stand. That is really cool.

 

[Edgelord]

So, I have been looking at vintage shaving brushes online, and I definitely want to find a lightly used Rubberset 400.

 

[DesertIguana]

My question about buying a Vintage Brush at resale shop, antique dealer, garage or estate sale is how do you know Brush is Useable, or should not be purchased?

 

[BigJ]

Awesome…

You are not going to believe what my one vintage brush is…

What color was it when it was new?

I bought this at an antique shop based on nothing other than I thought it looked nice. The handle is way bigger than the modern one that I have been using for the last 15 years.

I will watch for a Simpson now.

LOVELY!!!

 

[Mojo88]

If you are looking for something that is complete with a decent knot and handle, it may be difficult in the wild. In 17 years of looking for razors, I have only seen a handful of brushes in thrift or antique stores that are worth anything. I found a couple Simpsons that were decent, but most are trashed and are few and far between. I would guess that most vintage brushes are thought to have no value and are thrown away, at least it’s that way in my area.

 

[FABarbuto]

I found this one a few years ago - says "T.W. 124. A SUPER BADGER" and I think it was made by Simpsons in the 1940's, possibly early '50s. I bought it on eBay and it was advertised as a 1940s brush.

2-band Super Badger, 20MM x 48MM knot. I bought it as NOS and it's the best of the best as far as vintage brushes I've ever owned. The bulb/fan shape of this knot inspired brushmakers like Paladin and Morris & Forndran with their present shapes, especially the bulb/fan hybrid shape of most Paladin Select Badger knots.

 

[FABarbuto]

 

[Legion]

So, I have been looking at vintage shaving brushes online, and I definitely want to find a lightly used Rubberset 400.

I'd look for a heavily used RS400. That way it will be cheaper and you can swap out the bristles for badger. Aluminium is easy to polish.

 

[Wombat ESQ]

Don’t discount the matching stand. That is really cool.

Oh no, the stand is not discounted, it's actually on a twice the price of the brush figure for the hell of making a good 401K

I got a bit hooked on brass brushes for a bit, another one is on its way on a slow boat somewhere in the Specific Ocean.

Dang, are they heavy in solid brass, good scrap value if nothing else. These have stands and razors, the idea behind buying this twaddle is to cut the heads off the razors and thread the shank then make an adaptor to fit both male and female thread razor heads, and make that 401K [i dislike the slide on plastic twin blade head on them, so i'm cutting and shutting them one day, but thats not today]

So, being way into collecting, everything, including razors as a specialty subject these days, this brush is the second most highly prized one on the shelf.

And then comes "THE" most highly prized brush I own
I showed this to a collector, once, they remarked that in 30 years of collecting this brand that they had never seen one ever? Of course they must be out there somewhere?

Then, this one is also treasured, it's old beat up bent cracked, but it has character and if it could tell its story of how it was left for dead in a mug somewhere when its owner snuffed it

Brushes, pfffffftttttt

 

[Wombat ESQ]

How the hell could I forget a SOUPLEX brush????

And the teeniest weeniest brush ever