A mint julep cup from the Kentucky Derby in the early 1940s. Circa 1941-44, aluminum was in shortage due to the war, so cups of this era were made out of Bakelite, a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin. The Bakelite was only used in these years, making the cups both rare and desirable. The cup, pink in color with specks of blue, white, and red, is nearly in NRMT condition but has a small nick on the rim. The markings on the bottom of the cup read, Beetleware New York Made in the USA.