Object Lessons: The Old-Fashioned Loo - Remodelista
Arguably the most nicknamed piece of plumbing in domestic history–and certainly one of the most life improving–the flush toilet was invented by John Harrington, poet and godson of Queen Elizabeth I, in 1597. In 1778 a US cabinetmaker acquired a patent for the flush toilet and Thomas Jefferson installed three at the White House. Still, this modern convenience remained exclusive–and notoriously unreliable–until it was exhibited at London’s Great Exhibition of 1851. What set the new version apart from its processors was the addition of a U-bend pipe and cistern that used its own tank of water for each flush. A flush toilet beside a window with red privacy glass at Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury, New Hampshire. Photograph by architect Rafe Churchill, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory. Baileys Home & Garden in the UK offers the 1930s Bathroom Kit, which includes a pedestal sink with chrome faucets (shown left), a toilet with an oak seat (shown right), plus a steel bath; £998 ($1,603.74 USD) for the ensemble. Read about Baileys in our post Beauty & Utility. Deborah Bowman, winner of the The Universal Elongated Watercloset Seat from Waterworks has a mahogany seat and is available with chrome, nickel, and other hardware fitting finishes; prices start at $993. The 1930 Floor Standing Toilet from Duravit has a Deco appeal–it was first presented in 1930; $490 from Plumbtile (bidet sold separately). The Vintage Connector Toilet Suite incorporates design details from the Australian Federation period with a dual-flush system; $1,460 AUS ($1,279.40 USD) from Caroma, an Australian company with a global reach. Stay tuned: Later this week in our Faucets & Fixtures column, we’ll be presenting five favorite water-conserving toilets. Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and curator of the Remodelista 100, a collection of essential everyday objects presented in the Remodelista book.