I had collected vintage Somerset Simpson brushes for awhile when I discovered Rooney Finests. The difference is huge. Even the old Simpson Manchurians have a little of the bluecollar workman quality about them, while the Rooneys are simply luxury, pretty much equivalent to Plissons. Since then I've picked up several of the Finests, and one of my favorites is this faux ebony 3/2 brush. Its handle is medium sized in the hand, fitting my palm quite well, and I think the glossy black color is really sharp. It's knot is 24mm, and the loft is quite high at 63mm, which may account for the softness of the hairs. Although it has great backbone (much better IMO than that of Plissons), the snow-white tips are extremely gentle, with none of the scritchy quality about which some have complained. Initially I was hesitant to push the hairs against hard soaps, but I found that they pick up the soap (and creams) very easily, loading without any problem. The knot also has wonderful flow-through, releasing lather onto my face very easily. These brushes are no longer made and are rarely available for purchase, so the prices almost always are quite high; the 3/2 Finests have sold on the forums for $180-335. However, for me these brushes have definitely been worth their cost.
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