For a number of years past there has been a steadily growing demand among the well-to-do class for a higher grade of sanitary appliances for the household, and the demand has extended not merely to the comparatively unimportant features of greater elegance of form or better taste in decoration, but also to the quality of the appliances and their adaptation for their intended uses. As a consequence of this, there has been a vast improvement in this direction in the fitting up of dwellings of the better class, and to a great extent the crude and inefficient sanitary fixtures with which dwellings of even the most pretentious character were supplied but a few years ago, have given place to such as represent the highest order of workmanship in respect to their materials and their construction, and at the same time a high order of artistic merit, where the same are susceptible of ornamentation.
We have the pleasure in this connection in inviting the attention of architects and builders to the accompanying illustrations, which may be taken as representing very well the creditable advance in this branch of manufacture.
Fig. 1 represents the new French-shape porcelain bath tub, which is claimed to be a decided improvement upon the old-style or coffin-shaped tubs. They are imported for the American market by Messrs. Miller & Coates, of 279 Pearl street, New York, well known as importers of high-grade plumbers’ materials, Minton’s encaustic tiles, etc. They are of four sizes, distinguished by numbers from 1 to 4, and having the following outside dimensions—length, 70, 64, 55 and 51 inches; width at head and foot, 28 inches; and depth, 22 inches. They make not only a handsome, substantial appearance, but are convenient in form and roomy.
Fig. 2 exhibits the body of a new water-closet, with front-outlet wash-out. The lower portion of the apparatus takes the form of a pedestal, whence the name “Pedesto,” by which it is distinguished. It is an unusually handsome specimen of earthen-ware, and when fitted up with Minton tiling and finished with cherry wood-work, it makes a very ornamental and serviceable closet for first-class residences.
These, and other high-class sanitary appliances imported by Messrs. Miller & Coates, are made by the well-known manufacturers of sanitary earthen-ware, T. C. Brown, Westhead, Moore & Co., of Staffordshire, England, whose products have an established reputation.