Doe and Hope

Description

The William IV to early Victorian period oak gentleman’s shaving mirror having the original foxed mirror plate, to a semi elliptical crescent moon frame to a turned stand and draught turned base and surviving from the second quarter of the nineteenth century.

The condition is good and very original with all of the parts remaining original especially pleasingly so the glass plate. The oak has nicely faded to a more mellow golden colour and the mirror section still pivots as it should.

By the mid eighteenth century, facial hair fell dramatically from favour as the face of the polite gentleman was increasingly clean-shaven. The arrival of the newly-invented cast steel enabled razor-makers to produce ever sharper (and indeed blemish-free) blades, rendering shaving more comfortable, and razors more durable and capable of re-sharpening. Shaving the face evinced neatness and elegance, and notionally separated the gentleman from the unkempt yokel whilst shaving the head prepared it for the wearing of a wig – an expression of gentlemanliness, masculinity and taste.

The early nineteenth century saw the development of the famous Sheffield straight razor, which resembles the straight razors used today. At the time this shaving mirror was crafted there was also a boom in the world of shaving related cosmetics as many perfumers and chemists began to manufacture soaps and creams specifically designed to aid in the shaving process. Published in 1833, The Young Man’s Guide offered advice for men coming of age on various facets of life and recommended the use of cold, not hot water, for shaving.

One doesn’t see this crescent form very often and it makes for a lovely table-top element being sculptural in its own right.