19th Century French Brass Wall Fountain ~ Lavabo

Price: $1,584

19th Century French Brass Wall Fountain ~ Lavabo is a charming relic from a bygone era!  Back before the days of ubiquitous running water in every room of the house, folks were obliged to create ingenious solutions like this wall fountain.  Such a piece would be placed just outside or inside the back door, so that when it was time to come inside from working in the fields, one could wash hands and face before entering the home.  The reservoir above held sufficient water for the task, and the basin below captured the waste water for dumping later via an easily removable hanging system.  The cast brass valves operated on a similar basis as modern plumbing ~ when rotated 90 degrees they allowed water to flow through, then 90 degrees back to shut off the flow.  Even the reservoir could be easily removed off the decorative wooden mounting plaque for cleaning and rinsing.  Hand-crafted with care and artistry from solid brass, the upper urn shape features bowed flutes for visual appeal as well as design strength, while the lower basin was crafted to resemble a large scallop shell.
Circa 1850s
Measures 39.5H x 25.5W x 16D