Perhaps one of the last Somerset-made Simpson brushes?

hunnymonster

hunnymonster

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Gentlemen of the Antipodes... One of the gents at The Shaving Room posted this a few days ago and I thought it may have some appeal here....

factormax said:
This handmade pure badger brush is said by Man Machine to have been produced by Simpsons in Somerset c2000-2002. If true, this must make it the last of the true 'Simpsons-made' brushes still available retail. It bears the brand 'Coates' in the traditional lampblack, and its spec is quoted as:

Overall height: 3.5 inches, Loft: 1 5/8 inches, with "17 or 18mm Pure badger hair fill", with the caveat that, because it is a handmade product, there will be slight variations between individual brushes.

For a line that was produced over ten years ago, there seem to be a good few about (sometimes appearing in a boxed set with a tub of cream), though they can't last forever.

I do enjoy a pure badger brush from time to time; I like the old Simpson brand, I miss the lampblack, and I like the peculiar 'milk churney' shape of the handle on this one. I'm also slightly sentimental and wanted to make sure of getting one before they disappear for good. For these reasons, I ordered one today.

Man Machine offer them on their main website, at £24.99 (not sure what p&p will add to that, if anything). But you can save at least £5 on that by buying from their Ebay outlet, where it is offered at £19.99, including p&p. At the time of posting, there are 23 available.

Update: A potted history of the Coates company from Wikipedia.
Click to expand...

Gary Young (he of the family Simpson) had a little more to say

Gary Young said:
The potted history of Coates on Wiki is not quite correct. My family moved to Nimmer on the understanding that we would buy out the Coates brand within a year, which the family did.
Shaving soaps were not made by Coates until after we gave up the business in 1990.
True 'Simpson-made' brushes (made with the involvement of family members) stopped when the business changed hands in 1990. Although 2 members of our staff did carry on under David Carter's ownership both Marjorie and Russell worked predominantly on the hair, nail and toothbrush side of the business (that of Coates Brushes).

Gary
Click to expand...

Post is £4.99 to your blessed shores... whole thread at Coates Fitzwilliam - The Last of The Somerset Simpsons?
 
Thanks mate.

Nice looking brush ....


... but not butterscotch :)
 
That's a pretty decent price, not sure I like the handle all that much though. The 'steps' on top kinda ruin it for me. Looks like it might be a nice travel brush.
 
hunnymonster said:
Quote Originally Posted by Gary Young
The potted history of Coates on Wiki is not quite correct. My family moved to Nimmer on the understanding that we would buy out the Coates brand within a year, which the family did.
Shaving soaps were not made by Coates until after we gave up the business in 1990.
True 'Simpson-made' brushes (made with the involvement of family members) stopped when the business changed hands in 1990. Although 2 members of our staff did carry on under David Carter's ownership both Marjorie and Russell worked predominantly on the hair, nail and toothbrush side of the business (that of Coates Brushes).

Gary
Click to expand...

Does this read that they are made by the Young family or not? I can't tell.
 
hunnymonster said:
I read it as being a Somerset (ie. Before the relocation to the Isle of Man) but not a family (ie. Simpson/Young) Simpson...
Click to expand...

^^^^ This is how I read it too
 
Cheers,
I just wasn't sure what he meant by it. I shall continue in my ignorance as to the quality of Simspon brushes.
 
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