As a companion piece to my jar post, obviously you need something effective to clean out all those jars. In Notting Hill there is a great hardware shop that sells a selection of brushes. I’ve been collecting brushes for a while. French Hardware shops are probably my favourite, I can spend hours poring over Opinel knives and pernod dosers.
The one on the left is a squeezy handled brush, great for glasses, getting off lipstick stains. The one on the right has a little black tickly bit on the end, I suppose to do the bottom. These brushes are also good for vases and bottles.
All kinds of bottle brushes…one’s with angles, different textures, different lengths. I just like the combination of wood and wire and bristle. It’s a pleasure washing up with these.
I got this fireside dust pan and brush in France, tied a gingham ribbon around the handle and use it generally, not just for fires.
You can see this is well loved. Kept by the sink, it’s a vegetable brush. It ends up doing service for everything really.
The pan on the left I picked up in Italy, it has a long handle. I’d really like one of these to go with it. But can I justify spending £45 on a brush?
re: can you justify £45 for a brush? It comes with the dustpan, so probably not. However, you don't have to as the very same brushes are here: http://www.iris.se/174.html you may be able to buy one direct – not sure.
Oh my god! I wondered if this post would bring out some more brush info and it has…what a wonderful site! http://www.iris.se/1575.html?showFolder=19.51ddd3b10fa0c64b24800010248
Oh how great to see that someone else adores hardware shops and market stalls. In France, Spain or Italy…that's where you'll find me in the markets!
Great post. May I add to this the wonderful Muji loo brush (under a tenner), perfect for under the rim. The designer told me it's modelled on an elephant's toothbrush:
http://bit.ly/guu1E1
Those brushes at the top with the metal handles look familiar- I can also recommend them for washing up thermos flasks!
So it's not just me then….I do admit to a stationary fixation but French hardware shops, ah joy…thanks x
talk about niche interests! you have amassed quite a collection of brushes!