Description

Genuine bone handled toothbrush with real animal bristle brush. (beware cheaper “composite” “synthetic bone” handles being sold as the real thing – with synthetic bristles – now common in the market) The cross section of the handle is “oval” and the end is rounded, one of the most common styles of originals found from the period. (a very well documented period handle design) Marked and cut into the handle in red, black and blue is the logo “Army & Navy”. This is a marking that found it’s way onto many personal items, private purchase accoutrements and company advertisement bylines during the war and pre-war period in order to appeal specifically to the military and patriotic market. (combs, razors, shaving boxes, optics, compass’, etc. – not to be confused with the London based Army and Navy company developed by UK military men in the 1870s) Copied from a named and documented original which I had in inventory several decades ago in my first years of collecting and dealing in Civil War era soldier’s personal items. IMPORTANT NOTE: As many of you know, the availability of genuine bone toothbrushes like these at reasonable prices has become increasingly a great challenge of late. Most vendors have simply stopped offering them opting to sell wood ones instead. While original wood examples are known, they are extremely rare and the bone toothbrush remains the dominant type in America for the late 18th and entire 19th century. A European market has recently surged selling bone toothbrushes as a high end “gentleman’s” item and they commonly sell now for $30-40.00 US, more with international shipping, driving wholesale prices on even plain blanks to prohibitive levels for anything less than several thousand pieces at a time. (with the few wholesale vendors left it is all but impossible to buy any without an investment of thousand of dollars, which is difficult when weighed against other items for inventory) We are very pleased to report that, with much negotiation,  we have still been able to procure  some in more market consistent quantities, but our cost has tripled. We simply cannot say if we will be able to get more when our latest lot is sold.  We understand the pricing is significant, but, believe that the item is important enough to the Living History community and educator that we have elected to accept the risk to still inventory them virtually at our cost, knowing that pricing is likely near the limit of expense for such an item in the personal kit.  We hope you agree with our assessment. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR PURCHASE INDIVIDUALLY, TO BE FAIR TO YOUR COMRADES. To see our important historical research and clarification on toothbrush styles of the period please go the link in our Historical Research section.