ITEM DESCRIPTION:

If you look at the history of barbers, you will find that they were similar to doctors in the early years. Known as barber-surgeons, they performed a multitude of tasks, including bloodletting, pulling teeth, setting bones, and treating wounds. This bowl was used for a few purposes, namely bloodletting and pulling teeth. The notch is made to contact the neck, so the bowl would easily hold any blood or fluids that occurred during surgery. On the left side of the bowl is a divot where the barber would lay his thumb so he could easily grip the bowl when his hands were wet. The outer lip is raised and has a scalloped edge. Inside has flowers of various sizes. Some roughness and wear can be seen on the outer lip. Underneath some mold marks are in the finish, along with two holes drilled for display purposes. 2011-YP