A Welwyn Garden City brushmaking business is celebrating its 75th anniversary, with its management keen to share its fascinating history.

AS Handover, based in Edge Business Park, started life in post-war London in 1949, when Alan Handover set up the business and sold hand-made brushes to signwriters across the capital.

Since then, the company has modernised and now makes brushes for disciplines from fine art to make-up.

The company also works with organisations such as the National Trust, Rolls Royce, Angel Interiors and Henry van der Vijve, even holding a Royal Warrant, which allows it to sell items to the Royal Family.

Explaining more about the AS Handover's early history and modernisation, company manager Charlotte Wormley-Healing said: "We’re so proud of the services and products we offer – from hand-made brushes used in the signwriting profession amongst others, to products including gold leaf, paints and much more.

"Brushmaking is an endangered heritage craft, and we are all passionate to promote brushmaking as an important asset to British history.

"We are so lucky to be able to share our passion on a daily basis with our customers and we are now confident our brand is secure for the future."

With London rebuilding after the Second World War, there was plenty of demand for AS Handover's brushes, with Alan eventually setting up a store in Highgate Village and expanding to making high quality artists’ brushes to be used by graphic artists, signwriters, animation studios and advertising companies.

In the 1980s, Alan decided it was time to retire, with Michael Venus purchasing the company and merging it with another long-standing brushmaking company, Masons, in 2002.

When Michael stepped from the business, the management team was left with a choice, as director and brushmaker Rachel Rudd explained.

"We decided an employee-owned trust worked so well for us and we’re so grateful to Michael for supporting us in that decision," she said.

"We found our own warehouse and we made a very amicable break with our former 'partners' to set up a new modern company with an intention to keep and embrace our heritage."

To find out more about AS Handover, visit www.handover.co.uk.