Rigging

A model of a tall ship. In The Beacon, Whitehaven, Cumbria.
Well worth visiting for the learning you have of how this beautiful Georgian port (Cumbria's "industrial" heyday) came about and how things have changed since then.

Ships like this came to Whitehaven to drop off sugar and rum from the Caribbean before loading up with European finery and taking those goods on the next leg of the Dark Triangle of the slave trade to Africa.

Many of the ship owners wanted paintings of their ships, as testament to their wealth. To paint the fine lines if the rigging a small brush with long fine hairs was introduced - called a "rigger". These are still sold (I have one) as they hold a good amount of paint so that one is able to paint long unbroken lines. Obviously there are numerous applications this can be used for other than painting ships rigging - grasses, fence lines, twigs, hair - I'm sure you can think of others!