Antique 19th C Greek Key Floral English Porcelain Mustache Tea Cup Saucer Mug

This antique 19th century mustache tea cup and saucer set features a hand painted Greek key pattern and floral decoration. Made of high-quality porcelain, this unique and decorative set is sure to impress any tea party guest and is a must-have for any collector. Cup measures 3 7/8” H x 4 3/4” W x 3 3/4” D. Saucer measures 6 3/8” in diameter by 1” in height. Total weight 11.5 oz. Offered in excellent antique condition, except a hairline, as shown at pictures. Beards and mustaches have been distinct characteristics of the male figure throughout history. The oldest known portrait showing a shaved man with a mustache is a Scythian horseman from the Gillette Dynasty, ca. 300 BC. It wasn’t until the Victorian era that the extensive regiment of the mustache wearer necessitated the need for a protective guard. Mustache cups were invented to protect the extraordinarily magnificent mustaches of the 19th century from the effects of steam resulting from hot drinks and soups. It wasn’t until 1830 that an English potter named Harvey Adams (maker’s mark ‘HA & Co.’) introduced the first mustache cup. The cup had a ledge called a “mustache guard” that stretched across the inside of the cup from rim to rim. During the early years of production, mustache cups and saucers were sold as individual items, often ordered by women as gifts for their fathers, brothers, or husbands.