A kolinsky sable-hair brush (also known as ''red sable'' or ''sable hair brush'') is a fine artists'

paintbrush A paintbrush is a brush used to apply paint or ink. A paintbrush is usually made by clamping bristles to a handle with a ferrule. They are available in various sizes, shapes, and materials. Thicker ones are used for filling in, and thinner on ...

. The hair is obtained from the tail of the kolinsky (''Mustela sibirica''), a species of

weasel Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender b ...

rather than an actual sable. The "finest" brushes are made from the male hair only, but most brushes have a mix of about 60/40 male-to-female hair. Kolinsky bristles tend to be pale red in colour with darker tips. The weasel is not an animal that is raised well in captivity, and is generally isolated to the geographical region of Siberia. Due to this difficulty in harvesting the hair, and the fact that other natural and artificial bristles are not comparable in quality, these bristles are rare and expensive. Kolinsky sables are usually used in watercolour brushes. Lesser grades of kolinsky sables are also frequently used in oil painting, and sometimes for glazing in acrylics. Due to their exceptional ability to be finely shaped, kolinsky sable brushes are highly prized in the dental ceramics industry, where they are used to hand-tint the ceramic appliances for a realistic appearance. Beginning in 2013, shipments to the U.S. of kolinsky hair brushes were halted and in some cases seized by the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

due to the kolinsky's inclusion in the international

CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...

agreement.

References

Painting materials {{art-material-stub

See also

References