Who Invented the Original Diner Mug?

The Victor Insulator Company was founded in 1893 by Fred M. Locke of Victor, New York. He used the shop to manufacture different porcelain insulators for telegraph lines used throughout the world.

With World War II in full swing, manufacturing in the U.S. either slowed altogether or manufacturing plants altered their product lines to produce items specifically to serve military efforts. 

In the early 1940’s, the U.S. Navy sent out a request for bids to U.S. companies that could create a coffee mug that would withstand the test of rocking ships.   The Navy’s idea was to create a thick-walled mug that was heavy and didn’t have a handle that could break off when it slid and knocked into something else.

The Victor Insulator Company won the contract.  And with the electrical insulator business a bit slower during wartime, they threw themselves into the business of making the best mug government money could buy.  The insulating properties of ceramic were a bonus for the hot beverage.  Its ability to withstand over 760,000 volts of electricity is the characteristic that helped the coffee stay warmer longer in the mug.

The original Victor Mug is no longer being made, but it's design is an industry standard in what is known as the "Diner" mug. 

Our custom version of the diner mug just arrived and can be found in store or online.

The more you know...

Brenda Enyart

owner/roaster/founder