Personal Effects, china shaving mug / scuttle, c1950

Historical information

Shaving soap scuttles are distinguished from shaving mugs by having a separate area for hot water. The hot water is for dipping a shaving brush into to make a lather with the soap which is then applied to the skin before using the razor. Vintage scuttles are often elaborately decorated.
Between 1880 and 1920 is the original time period for the occupational shaving mug. Most men owned a shaving mug, either at home or at a barber shop. Mugs purchased for home use typically were purchased through local stores, had more variety in style but usually went without a name.
Barber shops sold mugs with the owners’ names on them partly because they thought that shaving rash came from sharing the same soap. In reality, the rash was not a result of soap but of unsterilized razors.
Transfer ; The Duryea Motor Wagon was among the first standardized automobiles and among the first powered by gasoline. Fifteen examples were built by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, between 1893 and 1896. Their enterprise followed the first commercially available automobile which was patented by Karl Benz on January 29, 1886, and put into production in 1888. The Duryea Motor Wagon remained in production until 1917. The Duryea brothers entered their horseless carriage in many shows and races.

Physical description

A china shaving mug / scuttle with a car transfer. The mug has a wide spout to hold / insert the shaving brush , a perforated tray opening at the top to hold the soap and a bulbous base for the hot water.

Inscriptions & markings

car transfer

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