New Britain herald., 1926-10-30
SHAVING CUPS GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

EOlueu bdldhy oL A1iiA'S oA P'S nent citizens on cups, a Roman lettered who's who" in local cir cles.
 The shaving cup era was at it's apex during the gay nineties; since that day of innocuous thrills and personal liberty these harbingers of barbering exclusiveness have gone the way of chin whiskers, Van Dyke boards and high hats to Sunday church services.
 Some shops still display a limited number Of shaving cups: just like they still display attenuated or di- minutive barber poles. But 1t is doubtful whether they mean much. Perhaps there are a few high hat ters left who have their private cups at their favorite barber's; but they are as few in number as those who go out buggy riding. The few cups and prominent names remain, but their chief function is to give a sense of stability and standing to the business. Some of the cup "owners" haven't been seen using 'em for years.
 Not many years ago, when gentleman of parts went to New York on business, to see the new plays or to have a high old time away from domestic care, it called for an item In the Herald There were about 100 shaving cups In Pete Crona's barber shop on Main street, and among the cups present was one the exclusive property of ye city editor of the paper. It was the custom of the day for men with items Of news to place notes III lIlt tlLy tullOl cup oi'N sometimes important news tips were delivered to the news office in that manner. The city editor, of course, called at the barber shop every day, regardless of whether he needed a shave.
 If, on such visits, it was noted that the shaving brush of a widely known customer and shaving cup proprietor had not been used re- gently, 1t meant that something was amiss. Inquiry promptly was made, resulting in the thrilling news item that so-and-so was either home sick with Ia grippe" | or was taking a trip to Chicago. Few newspaper readers of the day realized that a considerable portion of their news provender saw day 1 light via the medium of the shay ing cup.
 There's shaving mug collector in the state, but his headquarters are unknown. The barbers merely know he is in business somewhere and he apparently is making it pay. For years he has been buying up old shaving cups, provided they have the names of their erstwhile
 "owners" upon them. They are easy
 to buy as when barbers find a
 shaving cup has not been used for
 five or ten years they are justified
 in concluding it's owner is no longer
 interested and has abandoned his
 property The mug collector watches
 the papers in the state, and when
 ever he finds someone dying whose
 old-time shaving cup is in his col.
 lection he goes to the children ant
 sells the cup at handsome figure
 Then it becomes a family heirloom
 The shaving cup vogue has beer
 years in passing, but it's abou
 gone. The widespread use of safet!
 razors helped it 10 expire. The yer!
 men who were invcterate shaving
 mug proprietors were the carlies
 to take to the self-shaving habit
 as q means Of saving Valuable time
 But barber shops also hav' changed immensely. Shaving nova , days is merely a side line, or a , least Is only the beginning of tn barbcr's tricks. Barbers nowaday are expected 10 be salesmen-sell ing an electric massage, a shampoo or a dozen other fancy and eX hnarating inventions. The mal , who escapes with merely beini shaved must have the ability f. say mo" with emphatic meaning and he is one of the minority. The shaving cup - where it stil
 exists - is a relic of a bygone da
 when prominent citizens" ha'
 need for the amenities of life a found in barber shops of the past Presence there was q species 0 lathered club life, where a man o
 calling was sure to find his neigh l bors, his cronics or his chuns an l swap all the gossip of the towr No reporter could begin to make 7 hit with his city editor without be 9 ing on intimate terms with the bar