Toilet Box 1849 - 1852

This toilet box was made by Lyman, Fenton & Co., sometime after 1849. Its decorative form and high-gloss glaze point to the aesthetic values of its time. Toilet boxes like this one were common in middle-class households in the United States, holding combs, brushes, or other grooming implements. They were part of a burgeoning culture of cleanliness, health, and personal care that emerged as consumer culture developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Ceramic companies like Lyman, Fenton & Co., mass-produced these items to meet increasing demands for domestic goods. The success of these potteries was also part of the broader industrialization of American manufacturing. By examining historical documents such as trade catalogues, company records, and advertisements, we can better understand the social context in which this toilet box was made and used.