I have always thought that antique wash stands are beautiful. And the variety of colors and patterns that the basins and pitchers are decorated with are seemingly endless. In our area, there are a plethora in antique stores, estate sales, and on Marketplace that can be acquired pretty inexpensively.
I originally bought this one for aesthetic purposes as I love to decorate our house in antique pieces. I had been looking for one for a while and when I found this one on Marketplace I immediately knew it was the one I wanted. It was in great condition (although one piece that attaches the candle holders has been replaced and doesn’t quite match - which is fine by me) and it hasn’t been repainted which is something I personally don’t like in antique pieces. When my husband and I went to pick it up at a public meet up spot, the gentleman told us that it had been his grandmother’s and they thought it dated back to the early 1900s.
While it doesn’t really matter to me how old it is, I wanted to try to find out just because I like to learn about history.
Historical Research
So I started to do some research. Both the bowl and pitcher have an “Ironstone England 1890” stamp on the bottom so I had an easy place to begin my search.
However, I suspected that that stamp was misleading since it just looks inauthentic. As suspected, this is not genuine Ironstone from the 1800s and is actually a reproduction. In my research, I learned that Ironstone was first developed in the early 1800s as a special type of pottery that was supposed to be stronger and more durable than porcelain or earthenware. The original patent only lasted 14 years so after the patent ended, many companies started to produce it with their own formulas. While this is a reproduction, probably from the early to mid-1900s as I explain below, the pitcher and basin do seem to be actual ironstone. I deduced this from two factors: 1. They are very heavy. They are heavier than the porcelain set I own and from other porcelain/modern ceramic ones I have picked up in stores. And 2. The glaze on them is in pristine condition. It isn’t cracked like you see in a lot of porcelain or modern ceramic ones and that can be indicative of ironstone. Additionally, this particular style with the mirror and candle holders seems to have been popular in the early to mid-1900s. Also, the hardware used is definitely not from the 21st century. So while I can’t pinpoint a more exact date, I’m pretty confident in saying that this is from the early to mid-1900s.
Daily Use
After a few months of enjoying it as decor in our master bedroom, I watched a YouTube video from one of my favorite content creators in which she detailed a Victorian morning routine (Link to video) and she used her bowl and pitcher set. That gave me the idea to actually use mine and see if it worked for me.
As I learned in the YouTube video, these would typically be used for morning ablutions of a quick washing and teeth brushing. These did not replace an actual bath, but they were used to quickly cleanse the skin and face with soap and water before starting the day without having to submerge yourself in a bath (and not have to prepare all that water for a tub before indoor plumbing!)
I decided the best time to try this would be after a workout routine when I needed to get clean but didn’t need to wash my hair in the shower (since I only wash my hair once a week anyway). I filled the pitcher about a quarter of the way full with warm water and poured it in the basin. Following the example of the YouTube video, I dipped a washcloth in the water and dampened my skin, used the soap, and then washed it off with the washcloth. As she shows in the video, it’s definitely easiest to do this one area at a time so that the soap doesn’t dry on you.
I have used my wash basin in this way quite a lot in the past several months. While it is not a daily routine for me, it is quite useful for those instances where a full shower is not necessary. And the amount of water saved compared to an actual shower is quite awesome! I fully intend to keep using it this way because it is a super quick way to get clean and it also warms my heart that I’m using it for its original purpose instead of it solely being a decorative item (not that there’s anything wrong with that). The little storage area on the back is also perfect for holding my perfumes and other decorative items!
I also have a basin and pitcher in our guest bedroom that sits on a dresser. I picked this up extremely cheaply at an estate sale. I really didn’t need it, but I liked the pattern on it and for the price I couldn’t pass it up. It’s definitely a modern reproduction and is ceramic or porcelain. But I have found a use for it and that is to water my indoor plants! I have quite a large plant collection so having a pitcher this big is useful for me so I don’t have to fill up smaller watering cans multiple times.
Reflections
If you’re thinking about getting an antique wash stand (or haven’t thought about it but are intrigued after reading this) I highly recommend it! There are so many that need new homes and, whether you use it just for decoration or for washing, they are so pretty and can have multiple uses in our modern lives!
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