The Forgotten Charm Of The Barbershop Occupation Mugs

Welcome to another show & tell of collector’s curiosity objects. This week: the barbershop occupation mug. Allow us to explain; in the 19th century, and into the 20th, barbershops were a central hub for the working class man. It was where they could gather, catch up on the local gossip, and maintain their appearance of course. In the latter half of the 19th century, big beards were out, but safety razors weren’t yet invented and nor were antibiotics available, so if you cut yourself with a dirty blade it could lead to some serious health consequences.

Hence, the importance of the barbershop, which men often visited several times a week, just for a shave, and considered it like their clubhouse or a fraternity, especially in working class neighborhoods. Sometime around the 1850s, barbershops began offering customers their very own personalized shaving mugs – not to provide a hot beverage during their visit, but to house a client’s soap and brush. These items were kept at the barbershop and used only for the client who owned the mug, which was thought to help prevent anything contagious being passed around between clients. They were unique to their owners and showed pride of place to other customers while maintaining good hygiene, and in our opinion, were infinitely charming… read more >