In order to give a gentleman a nice clean shave, it was believed that the heat from a towel would help open pores on the face and soften the beard hair. Hot water was not readily available on tap as it is now, so barbershops used this electric hot water dispenser urn to wet towels when needed! Water was placed inside the brass urn, and the temperature dial was turned to the desired setting, and then dispensed through the brass spigot. It features a square marble base along with a frosted glass top. Some small chips can be seen on the 8 inch marble base. This hot water urn has been repurposed as a table lamp complete with a light bulb behind the glass top that provides a nice glow. The large on/off switch is easy to use, which makes this a great addition to your barbershop or country store display. 20588-UTP