Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Kent V16 vintage shaving brush


I bought this brush which was unused several months ago. On my 70th birthday yesterday, I finally decided to use the brush. I knew someday that someone wouldn't be able to resist it so thought it may as well be me.

So how did it perform? It's an amazing brush. Far too big and heavy for regular use. The density of the knot ensured that it was relatively easy to control both the creation of lather and it's application. I painted it on, but I managed a bit of a scrub for the first pass before smoothing over. As expected, the tips are silky smooth.
I managed my usual three passes. Squeezing out what was left was a messy business - so much lather!

Using the brush was quite a novelty and I'm glad I did. But this isn't a practical brush. It's really a display piece. And that's what it will be. Perhaps I'll leave it in my cabinet and make a point of taking it out for my 75th - if I'm still here, then each 5 years thereafter. So when it's passed on it won't have had much use and might appeal to a collector!

Some before and after pics:

The unused brush


The knot unused


The knot after use


The used brush



Or perhaps I'll make it my regular birthday brush?

10 comments:

  1. Holy moly! That is a gorgeous brush! IF i could find a brush like that it would be a dream. Beautiful.Maybe one day....

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  2. How rude of me...
    Happy Birthday! and congrats on a beauty! (A little late)..

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  3. I "believe" I have recently acquired a V 16 from a antique store in North Carolina. Certainly looks the same as your pics.. I used it this morning for the first time with DRH Arlington and it functioned as you described. It appeared to have never been used. What is the the date range on the brush?

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  4. Best bet is second half of the 19th century, My brush was said to be 1970s. The brush is on the Kent Facebook pages so you could ask them to clarify.

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    1. Thank you for the quick response and heads up! I just posted a photo and question on the Kent Facebook page.

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  5. Kent responded to my Post on their Facebook page. What I have is V8, produced during the 60's and 80's. Thank you again for the lead!

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  6. Interesting! I was unaware of a V8.

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  7. Kent said that it was part of a series, V4-V12. Looking at the image they thought it was a V6 or V7. However, I noticed V8 on the side without the decal, very faint.

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