Wash Stands

Before indoor plumbing, washing and bathing was done differently than today. In fact, people didn't take tub baths very often, and rarely in the colder months. They usually washed up with a pitcher and basin, which would become known as a sponge bath. Because of this, a washstand (also known as a dry sink, although this could be in the kitchen too) was an important piece of bedroom furniture.

The type of washstand  varied. They ranged from a small stand just big enough to hold the pitcher and basin to a chest of drawers, often with a towel rack attached. Some even had a mirror. Other small varieties had a circle cut out in the top, where the basin could be inserted.

Of course, not everyone had the luxury of a washstand. In many

cabins, bathing was done with a bucket of water when it wasn't convenient to go to a stream. Even after city dwellers had the luxury of bathrooms in their houses, many rural dwellers continued in the old ways. 


Today these washstands are collectors items. If you're lucky enough to have one handed down in your family, then you have something that will only increase in value as the years go by.

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