A moustache cup

At Market Lavington Museum, we have various items of china decorated with local views. These are generally photographs taken by the Burgess photographers in the village and sold in their shop on the High Street. No doubt they were purchased as gifts to friends and relations with a connection to the village.

This picture is of the crossroads with the department store on the right hand corner and a view up towards the Market Place. The photographer’s premises were in the row of shops along the left hand side of the picture.

The cup, thought to be German in origin, dates from about 1900, when moustaches were fashionable amongst the menfolk.

For this is a moustache cup, designed to allow the drinking of a cup of tea without wetting the facial hair. Our cup was found in Bath and has made its way back home.

No doubt the pansy design was produced by the suppliers of the china, for it also features on an Edwardian ribbon plate in our museum collection. (See Market Lavington Commemorative Ware.)