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Detailed information about ordering, such as postage rates, payment methods and our guarantee, is on the ORDERING pages listed above.
How Luxartis brushes are made
Do not confuse our brushes with the products of companies that have no tradition or understanding of this pinnacle of the brushmaker's art.
Watercolour is especially sensitive to the quality of the brush. The best brushes cannot be produced from inferior materials or by machines or semi-skilled labour.
Our makers
We are proud of the fact that Luxartis brushes are individually hand-made by qualified and highly skilled craftsmen who have dedicated their working lives to the making of quality artists' tools.
We commission our brushes from a workshop in Germany. Run by the same family for four generations, its expertise has been developed over nearly a century.
Apprentice brushmakers undertake a three-year theory course plus an extended period of on-the-job training. They become qualified in their craft and spend decades refining their skills.
Our makers are a father and son with 40 and 20 years of experience respectively.
Kolinsky sable brushes are precision tools that must be made with care and understanding.
Production of a fine brush requires a high degree of skill and concentration. Brushmakers aspire to work on Kolinsky brushes. Those who do take great pride in the expression of professional skill that their work entails.
Kolinsky sable hair
Our workshop buys 100% male Kolinsky red sable tail hair from a specialist supplier which deals directly with Siberian sources.
Some makers use inferior grades of hair to cut production costs. The name Kolinsky derives from an area of Siberia but not all 'Kolinsky' comes from there. Some is taken from related species in other parts of Asia.
Hair from animals living in the cold Siberian climate has more strength and spring than hair from warmer areas. Tail hair from the male has better characteristics than hair from other parts of the body and the female.
Hair described as Kolinsky sable with no qualifying information regarding source or sex is likely to contain lesser grades. Makers who use premium grades are more likely to have high production values and want to advertise the fact.
Handles and ferrules
Our handles are Bavarian birch hardwood finished in durable glossy black lacquer. They swell towards the ferrule to improve grip and achieve correct overall balance.
Ferrules are made from nickle-plated brass so they will not corrode. They are firmly attached to the handles with deep double crimping.
The making
The tuft is made in a cup with a domed bottom that pushes the central hairs up into a rounded shape. This avoids the need to trim the fine, tapered tips of the hairs. Trimmed hair would have thick, blunt ends, greatly degrading the quality of the brush. This is something to beware of in the products of makers who care more about cost than quality.
