Coates (shaving)
Coates was started by James Coate who established his first brush works in London in 1875, but the company moved out to Somerset in 1883, opening factories in Axminster and Chard. Coate's later amalgamated with A Simpson, another brush manufacturer. The company stopped production a few years ago, however in 2010 the company was purchased by TGS Products Ltd and moved to Hungerford Berkshire where the new owners are currently in the process of trying to revive the company.
History
The Coates brush company was founded in 1847 by the original owner James Coate in London. In AbOUT 1875 the company was relocated to two factories one in Axminster, Devon and the other in Chard, Somerset where they continued making shaving, hair and toothbrushes. In 1941 the shaving brush company, A Simpson lost their factory during the blitz and in the spirit of wartime cooperation Coate’s allowed them to continue production at their water powered factory in Chard.
During the war Coates managed to continue production even though some supplies where sourced from Germany, this was managed by having the goods exported from Germany to a neutral country then imported to the UK from that neutral country.
After the war the companies worked very closely together and eventually Coates amalgamated with Simpsons in 1990, but the name still lived on in the range of shaving creams that they continued to produce. The Simpsons company was sold in 2008 to another shaving brush manufacturer, but Coates remained with David Carter & Francis Woodhouse the previous Simpsons owners. On 18 May 2010 the company was purchased by TGS Products Ltd and relocated to Hungerford, West Berkshire. The first new products are due to be manufactured in late June 2010.
Shaving brushes
Fitzwilliam
This attractive little shaving brush has a hand lathe-turned handle and is filled with pure badger hair. Simpsons produced this line of "Fitzwilliam" brushes under the Coate's brand name but as far as is known, they have never been offered for sale until recently. They date from before the Vulfix take over of the Simpson brand and were manufactured in Somerset, around 10 years ago.
The graduated handle shape has lamp blacked detail to both sides.
One size only. Knot size: 17 to 18 mm Pure badger hair fill. Overall height: 3½ inches Bristle loft: 1⅝ inches Please note all measurements are approximate and due to the handmade nature can vary.
Shaving Creams
Coates shaving creams are created using a relatively unique gelatine based formulation and provides a thick and creamy lather. Originally the cream was produced in six scents, each scent aimed at a particular skin type, these scents are:
- Sandalwood - Regular Skin
- Limes - Oily Skin
- Almond - Dry Skin
- Tea Tree - Problem Skin
- Rose - Sensitive Skin
- Lavender - Sensitive Skin
The shaving creams are available in two forms, in plastic tubs containing 165 mL, or in tubes containing 50 mL.
Coates shaving cream has not been produced for many years, and most remaining batches of the original product are now suffering from minor dehydration however this should not be detrimental to the performance of the cream. The production of the cream is due to re-start in the summer of 2010, the new cream will initially only be available with a tea tree scent using a new formulation. However more scents will hopefully follow.