Thread: Antique (Vintage) Shaving Mugs

I have been looking at some Antique Ie. shaving mugs at my local Antique Store and on E-Bay and I have one question. Why all the flowers and floral designs for them? I can't seem to find a good "Manly" shaving mug anywhere. I am talking about the ones that have your brush holder at the bottom and the soap at the top. Where are all the ones with hunting and or fishing scenes designs?. Help me out here, I have a couple of the Old Spice mugs, but am looking for a manly 2 part mug. Thanks.

Originally Posted by THORandODIN

I have been looking at some Antique Ie. shaving mugs at my local Antique Store and on E-Bay and I have one question. Why all the flowers and floral designs for them? I can't seem to find a good "Manly" shaving mug anywhere. I am talking about the ones that have your brush holder at the bottom and the soap at the top. Where are all the ones with hunting and or fishing scenes designs?. Help me out here, I have a couple of the Old Spice mugs, but am looking for a manly 2 part mug. Thanks.

It may have been 'Diplomacy' in trying to keep the lovely bride happy with his shaving crap in 'their' bathroom!

Well, it's easy.

Back in the day those were the ones that were in style so that's why there are so many of them.

There are more "manly" ones but remember there are mug collectors out there and they tend to go for those as well as these specialized occupational mugs which are very valuable these days.

Truthfully I think modern scuttles are better designed for making lather and keeping it warm and they aren't that expensive.

Because real manly men face lather! Just kidding. I think there are a few outdoors type paintings on mugs here and there, but I too have noticed a lot of floral designs too. I don't have many mugs but the few I have are either plain or old spice, oh and a silver mug that holds a plane little bowl inside.

First off I believe that the shave mugs that hold the soap at the top and the brush on the side are called shaving scuttles and I'm not shure why they are covered in flowers. Also is this more what your looking for?

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I always liked (and have owned in the past) the old hotel or barbershop "guest" mugs where travelers or unknowns to the barber shop could be served so to speak. Typically the gents kept their mugs, sometimes the prized occupational ones actually at the barbershop in a wooden display rack along with their personal brush and the barber would retrieve it and use it when they came in for a shave. Hence they also had numbered mugs for the guests. Very cool and masculine I think.

Here you go:

Occupational Shaving Mug | eBay

Those occupational mugs bring a high dollar. I have thought of getting one for ironworkers, but never really looked for it. I probably wouldn't want to pay the freight for a glorified coffee cup

don't know a lot about them but have wondered the same thing. here are some thoughts: there are quite a few relatively modern ones out there made for decorative purposes,( '50s-'70s) or floral designs weren't considered feminine back in the day.(like some names that are now "girls" name like Lavern, Kim or even Pearl.

Someone made occupational mugs again in the 70's I believe. I have a few but out of photo range. As mentioned above, the floral designs were, I think, mainly for Ma's happiness! I would guess that they didn't have many pretty's in the average working man's home so the mugs, pitchers, and shave bowls were also decorative.
Here are a few old style scuttles spanning a century or more; The tall ones are Austrian on the top row , the rest are mostly English and American.


If a mug has a deep well in the back half, it is a scuttle...not a mustache cup! A flat plate at the front with a hole to drink from is a mustache cup not a mug..

~Richard