"Transitional" Simpsons Brushes

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rexcarolus
Posts: 76
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:39 pm

"Transitional" Simpsons Brushes

Post by rexcarolus »

Hello everyone,

I should preface my first post here with the deep gratitude I feel towards this forum as a space with massive collective wisdom and a high level of discourse. To the extent that I know anything about this hobby, a large part of the credit is due to the people who comprise this unique community.

I provisionally borrow the term in the title from other instances in commerce where a cherished family business has moved into a new era. For those familiar with the illustrious British pipe-making industry, Sasieni and Loewe are such examples. The transition that has been the subject of the most conjecture, research, and debate, however, is certainly that of B. Barling and Sons of London during the early 1960s. In the case of Simpsons, can we similarly define characteristics of "transitional" pieces?

Gary Young's invaluable timeline of the company defines a number of important transitions, often linked to the relocation of the manufacture. In the eyes of the typical collector, the transition that appears most significant is the one from Somerset to the Isle of Man, the most salient difference being the introduction of a CNC lathe for the turning of the handles. Focusing on this transition, can we identify "transitional" brushes that have characteristics of both Somerset production and Mann production?

The most obvious example of transition in the Simpsons brushes of the present is the old stock handle material that has evidently taken on a color cast over the years. These are often described as being more yellow or rose in tint than the typical handle material. But are there other transitional features?

Let's take this Harvard 1 as a case study. It was bought new in 2012 and is of the rose-tinged handle stock. More significantly, the handle has these markings on the base:
harvard-base.jpg
harvard-base.jpg (117.03 KiB) Viewed 953 times
It has engraving, but it also has Best hair that is notably less "banded" than typical current Best and is totally free from any stray dark tips in the knot. Is this typical of current Harvards?

A few points to consider:

+ There have been old stock, hand-turned handles in the Simpsons factory/warehouse recently--Mark tweeted back in June about a NOS Chubby handle
+ Were "transitional" brushes sold as normal stock through the regular retail channels?
+ Is there still a quantity of NOS Somerset brushes/handles at the factory (that may eventually be sold to collectors)?

If you have any brushes that you feel may have a "transitional" character to them, please share your knowledge. Thanks for your interest in this topic.
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