Antique acquistion

[Treize]

While browsing around in antique stores today, my girlfriend picked out a package containing a vintage Old Spice shaving mug, shaving brush, and Williams Mug shaving soap. My questions are:

After cleaning the brush will it be good (relatively sanitary) to use?

The soap appears to have been unopened and/or unused. Would it be safe to use? Could it possibly be past it's shelf life?

Thanks. If pictures are needed I can attempt to post them.

 

[Lakebound]

Congrats. But, we do prefer pictures around here!

Welcome to B&B

Frank

 

[Treize]

 

[Mr5x5]

Welcome! You have a lot of gentlemen drooling on their keyboards. Vintage Williams is a treasure to many and it looks like that brush and mug are in great shape. Congratulations!

 

[alpster]

Shaving soap is kind of like honey, it never goes bad and keeps getting better. Put the soap in the mug and the lather on your face with that brush and see what happens.

 

[DCB2]

I'd say that the shaving gear and the girlfriend are keepers!

 

[mrb7]

Well, lather and rinse the brush a couple of times. Gives you a bit of practice, and ensures it's pretty clean. Soap is a tough environment for bad things. Witness that surgeons spend a lot of time with soap, not some fancy disinfectant.

So lather it a few times and you ought to be good to go.

The problem I find with old brushes is that sometimes the knot glue breaks down and what looks great starts to shed. But you'll never know unless you try. Half the time they hold up fine.

 

[JBSharp]

Best girlfriend ever. All of those things are awesome. You've already gotten advice about the brush and soap, so I'll only say you need to try it and report back.

 

[JayEddie]

Nice score, that brush looks to be in really good shape.

 

[Treize]

So I've cleaned and lathered the brush a few times with the soap and everything seems to be coming out well. As has been mentioned, there are some hairs coming out of the brush but I'm hoping eventually it will stop shedding. The brush itself is very soft. The soap produces a nice lather and smell, for me, but I am still learning to make better lather. I absolutely love this mug. Given the popularity of vintage Old Spice mugs around here, I don't really think I need to say anything beyond that. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[one cut]

If you would like I could try out that brush and soap for you, just to make sure it is safe to use
( you are one lucky man.)

 

[Riff Raff]

That Old Spice mug is either first or second generation (1948 to 1953) depending on your many ridges are inside the mug to grip the soap. If there are three then it is first generation. If there are six, second.

http://www.oldspicecollectibles.com has all the info you need if you are interested.