In days gone by shaving scuttles and mugs were just as popular as razors themselves, there are some huge collections out there and there were hundreds of types, shapes and designs. They were essentially designed to hydrate your brush and soap at the same time, and also allow for a nice warm lather during the shave.
These items are as part of traditional shaving as any, and if you don't have one you need to give it a go, they are especially nice on cold days when you want your lather and brush to stay nice and warm. On a frisky summer morning, applying a nice warm lather could be the perfect start to your day, so don't reserve snuggling up to your shaving brush for only the colder times of the year.
Folks use them in various ways so you'd have to experiment to find what works best for you. I love using our small 'sample pucks' you can even slice them into thin wafers, and then use them individually for only a few shaves, the thinner the wafer, the better heat gets transferred to your lather. Best is to google and play around as the scuttles are different sizes and also have various orientations of vents, openings and holes.
This scuttle has quite a big throat, so if you own big brushes this will be one of the better options available, it is in great condition and has no cracks, chips or discoloration, they are quite hard to pick up in the wild in this condition.