Hello fellow wet- shavers and associated accoutrement collectors, I've recently purchased -though yet to receive - this stunning little brush from an Etsy seller in Portugal. http://www.etsy.com/listing/101578366/hair-shaving-brush It appears to be badger, but I don't know for sure. Looks like a mixture of clipped and naturally tapered hairs. I tried to use Google Translate it to see what it says, and it looks like is says "Mr. Shark." LOL Please someone correct me if that is wrong. Pleeeease! Anyway, can anyone tell me more about this brush or the company, I can't find anything.
It's a Portuguese brush. It is Badger. By the look of the bristles I would say fairly low end on the bristle quality scale. It would be comparable to Ever Ready's low end badger brushes and the company that made them most likely went belly up or was subsumed into a larger company. On the other hand if it wasn't a large company and never jumped on the net, it could be still going strong. The plastic style and plate on the brush would be consistent with 60's - 80's American design. Eastern tastes differ, so this brush could be as recent as the 90's. I couldn't find out anything about the brush, brush name, or manufacturer. So I could of course be completely wrong. Everything above was speculation, but I am pretty sure it is badger and was at least marketed in Portugal, if not made there. Either way you have purchased a beautiful looking brush, with beautiful coloring and a nice shape. If you don't like the brush, re-knot it. a handle that nice deserves to be kept in use.
Thanks, Ryan! I somewhat assumed 40's or 50's, but just taking a stab in the dark, myself. You know, there was something about this handle that seemed familiar to me when I decided to buy the brush and I just this morning realized why. Here is an attachment to Vintage Scent's page featuring a now OOP boar brush. Outside of the color, and loft type, it's virtually identical in profile and faceting! I wonder if their is a connection. http://vintagescent.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=96 The seller must have very small hands, as it appears she's holding something in the size range of an Omega Pro, but she states its size as 4" (total height) and that's about the same size as the OOP Semogue in the link. So.....who knows, but between what you've said and the defunct Semogue in the link above, I'm wondering if we have a winner here - perhaps a mystery Semogue? I asked her about the hair and all she knew was that the hair was clean and soft and the brush (as stated) was old(er) but never used. So we'll see how it handles on a puck of soap and face. I agree with you, if the loft is less than ideal, I will be looking at re-knotting it. Hmmm I wonder if Vintage Scent can sell me a boar loft? That would be sweet! Thanks again for reply, Ryan! - John
Assuming her measurements of the brush are correct, I'd say she has extremely small hands. My Semogue 830 is right about 4" tall and it looks much smaller in my hands than this brush looks in hers, and I have fairly small hands as it is.
Just informed by Leon at Vintage Scent that this brush is indeed a Semogue, probably between 25-30 years old! Wow! ......can't wait to get it!
I received it safe and sound and even had a chance to clean it thoroughly before this mornings shave. Beautiful brush, but I lost somewhere around 60 hairs while cleaning and test lathering it. I wasn't rough on it at all, but I guess it's just the fact that it's 25-30 years old and never used - still had the piggy smell once wet. Great lather, and surprisingly soft for a mix of clipped and tapered ends. Also, it appears to be all boar - looks like it, acts like and smells like it. The shave was nice. I found the loft to be much more focused than new Semogue brushes and less splaying. It's scrubby but paints the lather just as well. I like it quite a bit, but I'm worried it may continue to shed. If it continues to shed, I will be replacing the knot and may consider a Golden Nib "finest" badger. I haven't seen much in the way of replacement boar knots. I do hope it settles down though, I'd prefer *knot* to mess with it. (hee hee hee)
The Golden Nib does have some replacement Boar knots. I have not used one so I can say one way or the other about them.
I've used a couple of the boar knots from TGN and they are Omega knots . They offer 2 sizes and I 've used the larger and they perform as well as any other Omega . The black collar on the knot can be cut off and the bulb within sanded down to fit the handle. But to me you know that handle looks like it needs a badger knot just from the perspective of it would look swell. I would go with a Shavemac knot in Finest, but of course this is brush fantasy league.
I thought they would be Omegas. I agree that that handle needs more. Shavemac knot in Finest would look nice in it.
Thanks guys! Very good to know. The handle really is a looker, and it fits the hand very nicely. You have a point about it begging for a badger.
