I'm a huge fan of antique scuttles. I have to admit it was originally for the aesthetics. Pretties that made my shaving ritual a bit more fun. (So I'm a girly girl & couldn't pass up the scuttle shaped like a fish, painted in lavenders and pinks; sue me.)
Then I learned how to really use them from this video from "how to grow a mustache:"
"How to Use an Antique Shaving Scuttle."
Changed everything. I am totally addicted to a hot lather shave. These vintage shuttles were made to give the user a hot shave before running hot water was common, so they do an awesome job. Though, of course there are variants from scuttle to scuttle, soap to soap, and also brush to brush. I've been learning these differences, and it's been a lot of fun to explore.
They are also pretty cheap to find on ebay, especially compared to modern ceramic scuttles. Still, as I was acquiring them, I had to impose a spending limit, and now have a collection large enough that I've cut my self off for buying anymore for the time being. I suggest staying away from "mustache" scuttles if you build your lather in a scuttle; it's just too small an a space. If you only use it to build up soap on your brush then lather on your face (or legs!), they're probably fine, if still a tight fit, but they will still keep your brush hot.
Also, for anyone worried about breaking their scuttle, be it modern or vintage, bring it up to temp by letting it sit in hot tap water for a bit. Cracking occurs when you change extreme temperatures (you can risk the same thing putting a cold scuttle into a microwave). By doing this before you add your boiling or hottest water, you should be able to prevent any cracking.
My two cents. Done.