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. The outer lip of the bowl is decorated with flowers along with a nice border artwork. Inside is a two handled cup full of flowers with a bird above it. One small chip is on the outer lip, but no cracks. It also has three mold marks underneath, along with two holes drilled in the base. 2009-YP