Washstand
Category
Furniture
Date
1770 - 1799
Materials
Mahogany, mirror, brass
Measurements
132 x 45.5 x 40.5 cm
Place of origin
Great Britain
Order this imageCollection
Wightwick Manor, West Midlands
NT 1288286
Summary
A mahogany shaving or washstand, British, late 18th century, when closed the rectangular top is formed of two hinged sections, these fold out to the sides and form two shelves with raised three-quarter sides, the central section with a circular cut-out intended to hold a basin (now absent) and two small rectangular cut-outs to the rear, probably to hold soap dishes and other accessories, the rear of the shaving stand holds a mirror with two small handles at the top of the mirror frame to pull the mirror up and lock into place, the front of the stand with three small cockbeaded drawer fronts, the central one false, each drawer front with three brass knob handles, below the drawer fronts is rectangular cupboard door applied with chamfered rectangular moulding and a single brass loop handle, on four square-section tapering legs, the rear legs joined by a stretcher.
Provenance
In 1937 Sir Geoffrey Mander and his wife Rosalie gifted Wightwick Manor, its contents and gardens to the National Trust. Sir Geoffrey and his family continued to occupy and manage Wightwick adding to the collection in collaboration with the National Trust. Sir Geoffrey died in 1962 but Lady Mander continued to live at Wightwick until her death in 1988. This shaving or washstand is listed in the Wightwick Manor 1937 inventory.