Picked for its impressive size, this found boar bristle brush presents like handheld sculpture; an organic form composed as an allee of columnar, poplar trees. My research to identify the origin and precise purpose of this considerable brush took me to the archivist at the Tate Galleries in high quality the United Kingdom. Unable to find a market comparable or a manufacturer, I had a hunch it may have been used by a printmaker to clean ink from intaglio plates, thus the connection to the stamped attribution, Muirhead. While David Muirhead Bone was an etching artist from Scotland, this brush did not belong to him. So, an exploratory dead end. A brush for grooming horses, polishing shoes, or sealing wallpaper? Despite its mysterious provenance, this handsome tool works overtime for its fastidious construction: a wooden platform seats boar bristles in 437 drilled pinholes, a pair of spliced tenons trim the sides, and a wooden top plate carved with bullnosed lines provides the foundation for an ample grip handle. A down-to-earth object that celebrates the simplicity of contrasting elements.
Being offered in as found condition. Minor stress fractures to wood platform. Dusty at pinholes. The bristles retain a faint oil aroma.
Measurements:
6" W x 10" H
Bristle Height- 4 3/4"
Overall Height- 10"
Weighs one pound
Product code: Antique Boar high quality Bristle Brush/ Antique Tools/ Farmhouse Brushes/ Duster and Shoe Brushes