Object Description
An antique Doulton & Co sink with cast iron wall brackets from the Simon Kirby Museum of Bathroom Sanitaryware collection.
Dating to circa 1890, this antique sink has a graceful form with an elegant, shaped splash back and moulded soap dishes.
With some light wear, this beautiful antique sink will look stunning in the bathroom of a Victorian townhouse or a similarly themed vintage ensuite.
The Simon Kirby Museum of Bathroom Sanitaryware
Sanitaryware extraordinaire and enthusiast Simon Kirby was the proud owner of a rare and impressive collection of antique toilets, basins and baths.
Until 2016 Kirby was the managing director of Thomas Crapper & Co; he spent more than 40 years carefully sourcing these specialist pieces, making it his vocation to ensure such rare and valuable sanitaryware was saved and preserved, creating what was known as the Thomas Crapper Museum.
Over the years, the company museum has not been open to the public, with only a few history enthusiasts and keen customers having been invited to view.
Names such as Thomas Crapper, George Jennings, Shanks, Doulton and Co and Twyfords form part of this outstanding collection that demonstrates the development of sanitaryware over the centuries.
Although Kirby sold the iconic Thomas Crapper company nearly ten years ago, he remains an expert in the history of the ‘smallest room’ and now serves as a consultant to the Royal Household.
Here at UK Architectural Heritage Ltd we are delighted to offer a select few pieces of this remarkable collection.
Pieces of such quality and condition are hard to find, but now they have an opportunity to be cherished by new admirers; whether it is sinks of varying designs or baths that are nothing short of impressive, each piece has its own unique style and character, ready to take pride of place in a new home or collection.
Doulton & Co.
Doulton & Co. have been pioneers of the ceramic world for more than 200 years. Better known today as ‘Royal Doulton’, the company was established in 1815 by John Doulton, in Lambeth, London, in association with John Watts and known as Doulton & Watts.
In 1845, Doulton & Watts Lambeth Factory opened focussing on the production of stoneware pipes. Later they progressed and opened factories in St. Helens in 1847 and Dudley in 1848.
The company became Doulton and Co. (Ltd.) about 1858 and remained so until the factory closed in 1956. Doulton managed to build a successful career producing sanitary products.