Shaving dish with the inscription "Rasez moi" in the center. In good condition, small chip on one edge, see last photo. 19th century Dimensions: 21cm x 18.5cm height: 6.5cm A male toiletry item, shaving dishes have a specific bowl shape. The notch at the bottom, called the chin rest, allowed the barber to place the dish under the customer's chin to collect the shaved beard hairs and the foam. These objects are sometimes provided with one or two cavities on the rim, one to lather the soap and the other to receive the ball which was placed between the jaw and the cheek to stretch the skin and facilitate shaving. A shaving dish is an object used by barbers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Generally made of silverware, copper, porcelain or earthenware, the shaving dish was often richly decorated. Equipped with a ring fixed on one edge or with holes, it could be hung on a wall or in a piece of furniture. It was also stored after use in a piece of furniture called a barber's table. A small hollow sometimes presented on one side of the dish could either allow it to be held with a thumb or accommodate a boxwood ball or a spoon. This very original accessory was placed in the customer's mouth in order to round out the customer's cheek to make shaving the beard easier. Indeed, many men of the time were missing teeth and hollow cheeks made shaving dangerous. Subtype: shaving dish Material: Earthenware Origin: France Style: Louis XVI Type: Display object, Decorative