Moustache Cup

When I was buying this cup I did not have a clue what sort of cup it was. And neither did the old ladies volunteering at the charity shop. I bought it simply because it was unusual and because of its vintage design even though there is probably no great age to it in terms of when it was made. It was only much later on that I found out watching a TV antiques show that it is actually a moustache cup. It was invented in Victorian era when moustaches were fashionable and pampered with wax to keep them dry and to protect them from getting stained as well as to stop the wax from melting and ending up in the drink. You can see the moustache guard on my image, but not the moon-shaped opening underneath it which allows the passage of liquids. I did not include the opening because I chose instead to get a good view of the floral pattern on the outside of the cup.



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