Victorian marble top washstands

Essentially a 19th century development of the 18th century basin stand, the washstand had assumed a regular table form by about the 1830s, usually with a marble top and pot board beneath. The earlier timber top washstands had a timber splashback, while the marble top washstands usually had a matching marble splashback often with a small semicircular shelf for the soap dish, or a tiled splashback.

Many washstands had a hole cut into the top to contain the china wash basin.

Washstands were generally supported on pedestal, scrolled or cabriole legs, in keeping with the dressing table with which they were often made en suite.

Edwardian washstands like most furniture of the period were much more rectangular in outline, with squared corners and (Lassetter) fairly plainly turned legs. They sometimes had a cupboard below the marble top. The back was usually tiled, often featuring the Art Nouveau motifs.

Washstands were more... used until the 1920s. less...