Originally called a “Moss scuttle” after it’s inspiration, Dr. RELATED POST: What Is The Best Shaving Cream? The New Breed Of Shaving Cream Scuttles (or more) bowls with a handle can often be found at discount shops for a very reasonable price. The better ones will be relatively tall (but not too tall!) and wide on the bottom to promote easy loading on the brush.Ī really good “do-it-yourself” solution is a large latte’ or soup cup. Modern “regular” shaving mugs are generally mass-produced (some are really just repurposed coffee mugs ). New soap scuttles are functional but mainly promotional (in that they usually simply designed and decorated, and show the logo of a shaving brand like Truefitt & Hill or Col. Some people find they are able to hold this type of mug better than other types of mugs for the purpose of shaving. They tend to be plainly decorated and promotional in design. They are meant to give the feel of an old-time pharmacy but they are actually a fairly recent development. Modern VariationsĪpothecary-style shaving mugs are really just a mug with a ball-type handle.
Genuine examples of these types of vintage mugs command the highest prices on internet auction sites. Most barber shaving mugs were imported from France or Germany undecorated: it was customary to have the mug then hand decorated with the shaver’s occupation and name. Mugs purchased and held at barbershops were customized with the client’s name and often displayed to encourage the customer to return to the barbershop regularly. Those purchased for home use typically were purchased through local stores (or maybe the Sears catalog) and had more variety in shape but usually went un-personalized. Most men owned a shaving mug, either at home or at a barber shop. The years roughly between 18 are considered the original time period for occupational shaving mugs. There are actually two time frames involved here. Vintage occupational shaving mugs are probably what most people think of when they see the term “shaving mug.” Here are the romanticized notions of the turn-of-the-(20th)-century barber shop, a place for men to meet and discuss all things while getting their hair cut and shave. Vintage Occupational Shaving Mugs Image Courtesy US Library of Congress Amazon, West Coast Shaving, and Truefitt & Hill links are affiliate. The classic shaving mug or scuttle is meant to hold a shaving soap. Later vintages saw the beginnings of promotional uses. From there things become a little less clear.Įarly vintage examples were generally decorated (often elaborately), sometimes depicting the shaver’s occupation (although they could also show membership in a fraternal group or perhaps a favorite hobby). Sometimes they are made so that shaving soap or cream can also be kept warm for a more luxurious shave. Historically the hot water is for dipping a shaving brush into. I think the main difference is that a scuttle is made to hold hot water in a separate compartment.
Let’s look at the varieties and how they are used with this introduction to shaving mugs, bowls, and scuttles.įirst, for the purposes of this article let’s try to distinguish between a scuttle, a bowl, and a mug.
There are quite a few styles, new and vintage. And others are meant to show off some aspect of the shave–or the shaver. Some are built to make lather more quickly.
And with good reason: some are built so that lather stays warm during the shave, providing a more luxurious experience. There is continued interest in shaving mugs, bowls, and scuttles.
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