  Synthetic spectra generated with the parameterized supernova
synthetic-spectrum code SYNOW are compared to spectra of the unusual Type Ib
supernova 2005bf. We confirm the discovery by Folatelli et al. (2006) that very
early spectra (about 30 days before maximum light) contain both
photospheric-velocity (8000 km/s) features of He I, Ca II, and Fe II, and
detached high-velocity (14,000 km/s) features of H-alpha, Ca II, and Fe II. An
early spectrum of SN 2005bf is an almost perfect match to a near-maximum-light
spectrum of the Type Ib SN 1999ex. Although these two spectra were at very
different times with respect to maximum light (20 days before maximum for SN
2005bf and five days after for SN 1999ex), they were for similar times after
explosion - about 20 days for SN 2005bf and 24 days for SN 1999ex. The almost
perfect match clinches the previously suggested identification of H-alpha in SN
1999ex and supports the proposition that many if not all Type Ib supernovae
eject a small amount of hydrogen. The earliest available spectrum of SN 2005bf
resembles a near-maximum-light spectrum of the Type Ic SN 1994I. These two
spectra also were at different times with respect to maximum light (32 days
before maximum for SN 2005bf and four days before for SN 1994I) but at similar
times after explosion - about eight days for SN 2005bf and 10 days for SN
1994I. The resemblance motivates us to consider a reinterpretation of the
spectra of Type Ic supernovae, involving coexisting photospheric-velocity and
high-velocity features. The implications of our results for the geometry of the
SN 2005bf ejecta, which has been suggested to be grossly asymmetric, are
briefly discussed.
