If you are giving a mo a go for the first time during Movember, then here’s something you may not have considered before: how do you avoid getting a droopy, wet moustache while having a cuppa?
Captain Watt, circa 1860. Maker unknown. Purchased 1916. Te Papa
In the late 1800s, magnificently moustachioed men (like Captain Watt above) dodged this dilemna by drinking from specially designed cups. These cups had a protective ledge inside that liquid could still flow past.
Paradoxically, while the cups were adpated to cope with male facial hair, many had feminine decorations, like the one pictured below.
- Moustache cup, 1900s Gift of Mrs N Stanford, 1965. Te Papa
Today, these ceramics are now consigned to history, probably due to moustaches shrinking and social etiquette relaxing. But - can anyone think of another theory about the decline of the moustache cup?
Go to Collections Online to see a moustache cup and saucer made to celebrate a royal event.
