{HISTORY}

Not to be confused with the British Stoke-on-Trent pottery, John Maddock & Sons, this large floral wash basin and pitcher was made in America by Thomas Maddock's Lamberton Works in Trenton, New Jersey between 1888-1902. Substantial in size and weight (just under 11lbs),  it's fitting that these two big grooming essentials also tell a big story about sanitaryware in the US. 

Long before indoor plumbing, and before the Maddock family immigrated from England in the 1840s, all sanitaryware (chamber pots, wash basins, pitchers, slop jars, toothbrush holders, soap jars, etc) were made in England and imported to the U.S. for use.

The Maddock's realized a need for locally produced toiletry and personal grooming implements, so they built a pottery in Trenton, NJ to produce the country's first American sanitaryware pieces. A leader on all fronts, they set up the first New York City decorating studio in the 1870s, made the first line of sanitaryware in the United States beginning in 1873, patented the first brass fittings applied to earthenware in 1880 (a revolutionary invention for the plumbing industry), and manufactured a plethora of dishware for the hotel industry.  

The precursor to modern-day indoor plumbing and bathroom fixtures, throughout their fifty years of manufacture, Maddock sanitaryware was one of the pottery's biggest sellers and was prized for its high quality craftsmanship and beautifully designed pieces. Recognized as pioneers in the world of sanitary toiletry products, the Maddock family eventually sold the pottery in 1929 to American Radiator & Sanitary Corporation, who would go on to create our country's indoor heating and plumbing infrastructure including radiators, sinks, bathtubs, and toilets for households across the country.  

Made between 1888-1902, this Maddock's Lamberton wash basin and pitcher features handpainted fringy pink flowers, highlighted by celadon tinged beige leaves, sprays of pink berries and gold speckling around the rim of the pitcher, handle and bowl. 

A really fun piece of domestic history, this pretty pitcher is both a wonderful example of how far we have come in the field of plumbing and bathroom modernization as well as the enduring usefulness of a large bowl and pitcher. 

Here In The Vintage Kitchen, we use antique pitches and basin bowls for all sorts of purposes on a regular basis. The pitchers themselves make ideal flower vases, watering cans, and decorative display pieces. The bowls are fantastic for soaking linens, lingerie, and fragile dinnerware, as well as acting like soak tub for home pedicures, a gathering bowl for household organization, and a drink cooler filled with ice for canned and bottled beverages. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Two piece matching set
• Hand-decorated transferware
• Colors include raspberry, salmon, beige, celadon, , bright white, gold, and pale pink
• Each piece is stamped with the maker's mark

{CONDITION}

In lovely antique condition, this set is bright and colorful with floral designs on the interior and exterior of each piece. The pitcher has seen an adventure or two in its 140 years of life, as evident in the 3" inch crack near the spout resulting from a 1/2" inch chip on the pitcher's rim.  A portion of the flowers on the inside of the basin bowl have faded - a common occurance on bowls of this age that stem from repeated use and contact with the pitcher. Other than those two imperfections, these two pieces are in gorgeous shape,  and contain no other chips, cracks spots, or stains on either piece and are very clean and bright on both the interior and exterior. Please see photos. 

{SIZE}

The pitcher measures 11" inches (height) x 8" inches (diameter at widest part) and weighs 4 lbs. The bowl measures 15.25" inches (diameter) x 4.5" inches (height) and weighs just under 7lbs.

Together, this set weighs in at just a smidge under 11 lbs.