This image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseTable commode, mid to late 19th century
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Table commode, mid-late 19th century
With the lid shut, this object looks like a piece of ordinary household furniture. In fact it is a discreetly disguised toilet called a commode. The lid reveals a seat, underneath which a chamber pot would have been placed and emptied after use.
It is unclear what the metal container in the lid is for. Most likely it was a container for toilet paper or perhaps a ‘sliding’ – an antiseptic powder box. The commode would have been owned by a wealthy family for use by an elderly or sick relative, or it may have been used in a hospital.
Details
- Category:
- Public Health & Hygiene
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A602092
- Materials:
- complete, wood (unidentified), brass (copper, zinc alloy) and iron
- Measurements:
-
depth: 440mm
height: 450mm
width: 445mm
overall - as displayed: 755 mm x 434 mm x 675 mm,
- type:
- commode
- credit:
- Foster
