Isabey Vintage Siberian Blue Squirrel Brush, Quill Mop, 4, Natural

it's a beautiful brush, 100% handmade, which does justify the hefty price tag to an extent. however, as another reviewer mentioned, the wires on the quill of the brush are loose and not tied tightly. i actually exchanged the first one i ordered for a second to see if this was just a defect and they are both like that, though the second is just a tiny bit neater.i haven't had issues with hair falling out (they're glued securely to the handle so i don't find that to be a concern) but the wires do become very uncomfortable if you find yourself holding the brush by the quill.if you hold the brush further back (as you usually would) the handle comes to a very abrupt, skinny taper, and just feels awkward in the hand. it's very light overall; the ergonomics of this handle just weren't for me.i was also shocked that, given the fact that this is a $95 brush (for the Size 4) it arrived in a cellophane sleeve with a paper backing and no branding to speak of other than the Isabey tag that's tied to the handle. i've received better packaging from brushes that cost a fraction of this one...ultimately, the bristles themselves perform exactly like any other natural squirrel quill i've tried. at this price point, you're just paying for a "lux" handmade product (that isn't really made that well if i'm being honest) and inflated marketing.there are much better brushes out there that you can buy three times over for this price. sorry, Isabey.

There was a time when Isabey brushes were the best. This brush does not live up to that status. The wires holding the ferrule on are gapped and look lose, and I expect hairs to come lose and drop off the brush, most likely in the painting one is working on. You can see a few hairs already sticking out of the brush. It's really a disappoint as I've waited a long time to buy a brush of this type. Amazon shipped the brush in a box so it didn't get damaged.