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USA - New York City (1939) (Map) Black Coffee Mug

USA - New York City (1939) (Map) Black Coffee Mug

100 in stock

Regular price $17.99 USD
Regular price Sale price $17.99 USD
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USA - New York City (1939) - Black Mug Design

This design is a street map of New York City as it stood in 1939, printed in a single sweep across the whole mug.

Visual Elements & Composition

The map is built from the city's street network. Manhattan's grid runs diagonally across the surface, with the rivers and the shoreline of the boroughs cutting around it. The lines are fine and dense where the streets crowd together and open out toward the edges, so the eye settles on the island first and then drifts outward to Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. Labels for the neighbourhoods and major thoroughfares sit in small type across the surface, and the black ground makes every line stand out.

Meaning & Symbolism

A city map from 1939 captures a moment when New York was looking ahead. That year the World's Fair opened in Flushing Meadows, Queens, drawing crowds with its promise of a streamlined future, and the map records the city that the fair's visitors travelled through to reach it. Maps of this kind were working documents for getting around, and today they read as portraits of a place at a particular point in its history.

Life on the Mug

A mug is turned in the hand, so this map is never seen all at once. Each turn brings a new stretch of street into view while the handle interrupts the view on the other side, and the grid seems to slide past as you drink. It is a good companion for a slow morning spent planning the day, and an easy way to give someone a little piece of New York history to hold.

Size

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Glossy black ceramic mugs in two practical sizes — 11 oz (≈330 ml) and 15 oz (≈440 ml). Comfortable C-handle, microwave- and dishwasher-safe, and manufactured to be lead- and BPA-free. Note: printed blacks may read slightly different from the mug’s base color.

These mugs are made from solid ceramic with a glossy glaze that gives a deep, even surface for printing. Sublimation printing embeds ink into the glaze so artwork sits smoothly on the mug rather than simply sitting on top — that means better resistance to fading and scratching during normal use.

They’re available in the classic 11-ounce size for everyday black coffee and tea, and a larger 15-ounce cup if you like extra room for milk, foam or a long pour. The C-shaped handle is wide enough for a secure grip and balances the mug well when full.

  • Material: 100% ceramic with a high-gloss finish for punchy, saturated results.
  • Sizes: 11 oz (≈330 ml) and 15 oz (≈440 ml) — choose your routine size.
  • Printing: sublimation process fuses color into the glaze for durable imagery.
  • Safety: lead- and BPA-free; meets common food-contact safety standards.
  • Design note: very dark artwork and the mug’s black base can produce subtle shade differences — add a thin lighter outline to ensure contrast if needed.

These mugs are at home in the kitchen, on the office desk, or tucked into a morning routine. They work for espresso shots, pour-overs, oat-milk lattes — you name it. The larger size is handy when you want a second cup’s worth without a refill.

  1. Daily use: fill with your preferred brew and sip — the mug handles hot liquids safely.
  2. Office-friendly: fits most standard mug warmers and sits securely on communal trays and kitchen counters.
  3. Gifting: packs well (wrap with a soft layer) and pairs nicely with coffee beans, tea tins, or a small box of biscuits.

Practical tip: for very dark designs, try a thin light border or a small margin so the artwork reads cleanly against the black ceramic.

These mugs are both microwave- and dishwasher-safe, but gentle habits extend the life of the print. We recommend dishwasher use on the top rack and milder cycles when possible.

Hand-washing is the friendliest option: warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft sponge. Avoid steel wool, harsh scouring pads, or blasting with extremely hot industrial cycles. And a quick reminder — don’t microwave an empty mug.

Two sizes: 11 oz (approx. 330 ml) and 15 oz (approx. 440 ml). The smaller cup is the familiar, everyday size; the larger one is for fuller pours and extra-creamy drinks.

Each mug’s mouth and height are proportioned so they’re easy to drink from and easy to clean. If you’re pairing with saucers or nesting in cabinets, expect the 15 oz to be slightly wider and taller than the 11 oz.

Size guide

All measurements are product dimensions in inches.

11 oz 15 oz
Height (in) 3.86 4.72
Diameter (in) 3.35 3.35
Diameter with handle (in) 4.72 5.12

Note: dimensions are nominal — small production tolerances may apply. If you need precise fitment (e.g., for nested storage or custom packaging), please allow a small margin.