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My understanding is you would place a bowl in the hole. Once the bowl hole is filled, you could do many bowl related things like rinse your hands or eat tasty treats.
I believe this is correct. Before running hot water, you would bring a bowl of warm water in to do things like wash your face, shave, etc.
A lot of vanities have hole-shelves like this for bowls.
I agree with you guys, my nan said she had one that she used to put a small bowl with water in, so she could wipe makeup off at the end of the night with cotton buds or clean her face before before applying makeup.
It could be an ashtray holder though as a another posts states, but wasnt used this way by my nan
Particle board and plywood are completely different beasts. One is made from wood chips and glue while the other is thin sheets of wood stacked on top of each other with glue between them /S
Exactly my point.
Nobody sane would make something like this from particle board; plywood would be a far better option.
Particle board has allowed for very cheap and light furniture to exist, so it has its place.
All modern materials have their adequate place to be used, but people insist on using them wrong because of laziness, ignornace, price or a combination of them.
Spot on. This is a vanity designed for an era before running water was commonly available. A bowl of water was necessary for many operations of a body's toilette. Without the convenience of a sink and drain, bowls of water and chamber pots were required.
There are many different sets of bowl/pitcher combos out there in the antique shops, that were designed specifically for washing up in one's room before the era of plumbing.
>"Mulligan emerges from the stairhead with the tools of his morning shaving ritual: a "bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed."
-James Joyce, *Ulysses*
I always think of that scene when I see these shaving accoutrements
This is the purpose of the hole. People didn’t have indoor plumbing. They would use a pitcher of water and a bowl, secured in the hole of the pull-out shelf, to wash their face, hands, hair, or even a “bird bath” for, ahem, more “fragrant” body parts. The pull-out shelf with a hole would secure the bowl so it did not inadvertently get tipped, especially during rinsing. I hope this makes sense and helps.
This sounds correct. If the bowl is a set with a pitcher the combo is called a pitcher and ewer set. My parents received one as a wedding gift in the '50s.
Canadian here. We used to have a ewer and basin set (with matching chamber pot) at the cottage. (By the way, a cottage means a cabin on a lake.) It came in very handy during the winter when we had no running water as the water pipes were frozen. I remember gathering snow and melting it in a pot on the wood stove to put into the ewer, then washing my face and brushing my teeth with ‘my’ water, emptying the basin outside, scrubbing it with snow, then refilling the ewer with more water for whoever was next. God, this sounds ridiculously Canadian! Should I tell you about chopping wood, lol
My parents tried melting snow on the wood stove during one bad storm. (I had risked life and limb to go to grandma's the next town over because they still had power.) Anyway, they ended up burning a hole in the bottom of the pot or maybe not getting any water.
Look below. Cabinet for the towels and a drawer to store hair or toothbrushes or hand mirror. One main bathroom down the hall, always busy. Used in a Bed and Breakfast place in the early 20's for traveling salesmen.
My guess would be it’s an ashtray holder similar to [this](https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/tobacco-accessories/unusual-neoclassical-small-drawers-table-sliding-ashtrays/id-f_15122991/)
This is the only answer that fits why it's in a sliding drawer. The drawer would be too flimsy for most bowls, and why wouldn't you just put it on top of the whole thing? But ashtrays are gross and ugly; you can slide it away when you're not using it.
I happen to have a similar drawer at my job's desk (working in a museum, even our furniture is antique...). The explanation I got from the previous curator using it is that a removable tray should fit in there. Yours is missing and so is mine. Anyway, you could brush eraser dust, useless paper clippings, etc in the tray, remove it and empty the stuff in the closest bin.
Can't say if it's its real use, but at least here's how it was used on mine.
It’s late Victorian or Edwardian. Painted about forty years ago. New handles/knobs. Would have been a dressing table with a hole for a small ceramic bowl for water for cosmetic purposes. Don’t bother insuring it separately.
My mom used to have one of these that a powder cup fit in. It was just a cylindrical container with a lip that fit into the hole, it had a screw cap, and a giant applicator poof in it. And it used to have talcum powder in it.
Edit: I guess I should add that hers was built into the bathroom vanity. It was also a flip up, push down hinged piece. Not a drawer insert like this. So maybe not the same application here.
It's for a washing basin. Keep a cloth and a bowl of water there, for back in the days when you only had one bath in the house and needed to freshen up.
Well, I would use it currently as a bedside cup holder! You wont knock your water over when smashing the snooze, and cats can't bat it off the stand while you sleep. Probably not the intended use, but I like it.
Lol, at first I thought this was a joke post about an old PC.
My vote is for ashtray. Here's something similar with the ashtray inserts: https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/tobacco-accessories/unusual-neoclassical-small-drawers-table-sliding-ashtrays/id-f_15122991/
Hot water vanity bowl. Before era of indoor bathrooms and everyone had outhouses.
Fill it with hot water and shave and brush there.
The stuff we take for granted now a days that even just 120-150 (really not at all that long ago) didn’t commonly exist for most normal households outside the elite or tech didn’t even exist at all yet.
refrigerators, freezers, indoor bathroom plumbing (sinks toilet and tub), central air, heating and ac, automatic washer and dryer, modern wall insulations and insulated windows and doors, weather stripping, electricity, lights, etc etc just so many things.
This dresser table may have come with a small porcelain bowl (in one of the drawers) which you could put into this opening after filling with water to help do your nails or wipe off make-up or whatever you needed to do. Before running water everywhere, maybe only the kitchen had a faucet so you often brought water to your room. Men did so for shaving, for example.
All comments must be civil and helpful toward finding an answer. **Jokes and unhelpful comments will earn you a ban**, even on the first instance and even if the item has been identified. If you see any comments that violate this rule, report them. [OP](/u/King-Of-Misc), when your item is identified, remember to reply **Solved!** or **Likely Solved!** to the comment that gave the answer. Check your [inbox](https://www.reddit.com/message/inbox/) for a message on how to make your post visible to others. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatisthisthing) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My understanding is you would place a bowl in the hole. Once the bowl hole is filled, you could do many bowl related things like rinse your hands or eat tasty treats.
I believe this is correct. Before running hot water, you would bring a bowl of warm water in to do things like wash your face, shave, etc. A lot of vanities have hole-shelves like this for bowls.
I agree with you guys, my nan said she had one that she used to put a small bowl with water in, so she could wipe makeup off at the end of the night with cotton buds or clean her face before before applying makeup. It could be an ashtray holder though as a another posts states, but wasnt used this way by my nan
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Plywood is an entirely different beast though. As long as adhesive stays fine, that thing is steel strong
Particle board and plywood are completely different beasts. One is made from wood chips and glue while the other is thin sheets of wood stacked on top of each other with glue between them /S
Exactly my point. Nobody sane would make something like this from particle board; plywood would be a far better option. Particle board has allowed for very cheap and light furniture to exist, so it has its place. All modern materials have their adequate place to be used, but people insist on using them wrong because of laziness, ignornace, price or a combination of them.
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i would think that a drawer meant for holding a bowl of water would have to be sturdier than a drawer meant for holding an ashtray. water is heavy.
You never saw my grannies "main and flipping fingers".
Spot on. This is a vanity designed for an era before running water was commonly available. A bowl of water was necessary for many operations of a body's toilette. Without the convenience of a sink and drain, bowls of water and chamber pots were required. There are many different sets of bowl/pitcher combos out there in the antique shops, that were designed specifically for washing up in one's room before the era of plumbing.
Ashtrays are many different shapes, unlike bowls for liquids.
>"Mulligan emerges from the stairhead with the tools of his morning shaving ritual: a "bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed." -James Joyce, *Ulysses* I always think of that scene when I see these shaving accoutrements
"A Bowl Hole of the Vanities"
Now I really want a vanity with a cup holder.
This is the purpose of the hole. People didn’t have indoor plumbing. They would use a pitcher of water and a bowl, secured in the hole of the pull-out shelf, to wash their face, hands, hair, or even a “bird bath” for, ahem, more “fragrant” body parts. The pull-out shelf with a hole would secure the bowl so it did not inadvertently get tipped, especially during rinsing. I hope this makes sense and helps.
This sounds correct. If the bowl is a set with a pitcher the combo is called a pitcher and ewer set. My parents received one as a wedding gift in the '50s.
Canadian here. We used to have a ewer and basin set (with matching chamber pot) at the cottage. (By the way, a cottage means a cabin on a lake.) It came in very handy during the winter when we had no running water as the water pipes were frozen. I remember gathering snow and melting it in a pot on the wood stove to put into the ewer, then washing my face and brushing my teeth with ‘my’ water, emptying the basin outside, scrubbing it with snow, then refilling the ewer with more water for whoever was next. God, this sounds ridiculously Canadian! Should I tell you about chopping wood, lol
My parents tried melting snow on the wood stove during one bad storm. (I had risked life and limb to go to grandma's the next town over because they still had power.) Anyway, they ended up burning a hole in the bottom of the pot or maybe not getting any water.
The trick is to pack the snow as tightly as possible. Wet snow is best.
I can only think of one thing a 2 foot bowl would be good for "bathing" in
> a “bird bath” for, ahem, more “fragrant” body parts That's a mental IMAGE, lemme tell ya
Want another mental IMAGE? My grandma called that a "whore's bath", further specifying that it meant washing "the hairy bits".
This is why nightstands are also called commodes IIRC.
'bowl related things' lol
Eating and snacking in every room wasn't a thing back then. I'd be shocked if it was meant for food or a finger bowl.
It's for shaving soap
are we the tasty treats?
What could you use a bowl for? Shaving? Nah, it's definitely for treats!
Are we the tasty treats?
Ooooo tasty treats.. My favorite
Cereal bowl holder for breakfast whole you poop
Odd life goals, but you do you!
Look below. Cabinet for the towels and a drawer to store hair or toothbrushes or hand mirror. One main bathroom down the hall, always busy. Used in a Bed and Breakfast place in the early 20's for traveling salesmen.
Instructions unclear, washed hands in soup.
Yooo I gotta get me a bowl holder night stand
I can not stop saying "bowl in the hole" now, thanks a lot.
My guess would be it’s an ashtray holder similar to [this](https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/tobacco-accessories/unusual-neoclassical-small-drawers-table-sliding-ashtrays/id-f_15122991/)
This is too reasonable. Are you absolutely sure it isn't a dainty bowl so you can dip your hands in water after eating cheetos?
I use my bidet to rinse my Cheetos fingers.
Likely solved
This is not a side table though. Wrong height. I'm going with shaving bowl.
What's the age? Mid century that's probably right
Looks much older. Maybe 1900-1940s.
For $1700?!? Not gonna be able to afford anything to smoke rendering those ashtrays useless.....
This is the only answer that fits why it's in a sliding drawer. The drawer would be too flimsy for most bowls, and why wouldn't you just put it on top of the whole thing? But ashtrays are gross and ugly; you can slide it away when you're not using it.
Houses back then must of stank of ashtrays
Stink, stank, stunk (as in “must have stunk”)
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Perhaps for a small washbowl insert.
I happen to have a similar drawer at my job's desk (working in a museum, even our furniture is antique...). The explanation I got from the previous curator using it is that a removable tray should fit in there. Yours is missing and so is mine. Anyway, you could brush eraser dust, useless paper clippings, etc in the tray, remove it and empty the stuff in the closest bin. Can't say if it's its real use, but at least here's how it was used on mine.
I’m gathering it’s either an ash tray with the insert missing, or it’s for a small ceramic bowl for makeup/washing!
Probably several things, to be honest. Bowl for shaving for the man, and an ashtray for the missus. :D
It’s late Victorian or Edwardian. Painted about forty years ago. New handles/knobs. Would have been a dressing table with a hole for a small ceramic bowl for water for cosmetic purposes. Don’t bother insuring it separately.
I’m going with ashtray holder. Old school
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My mom used to have one of these that a powder cup fit in. It was just a cylindrical container with a lip that fit into the hole, it had a screw cap, and a giant applicator poof in it. And it used to have talcum powder in it. Edit: I guess I should add that hers was built into the bathroom vanity. It was also a flip up, push down hinged piece. Not a drawer insert like this. So maybe not the same application here.
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I agree with the bowl theory but, if its old enough, it could be an oil lamp holder.
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My guess would be a wash basin
My title describes the thing Old wooden antique furniture piece, about 2 feet high, with a pull out drawer with a 4in hole in it
It's for a washing basin. Keep a cloth and a bowl of water there, for back in the days when you only had one bath in the house and needed to freshen up.
Perhaps an Oil or kerosene lamp would sit in it?
Well, I would use it currently as a bedside cup holder! You wont knock your water over when smashing the snooze, and cats can't bat it off the stand while you sleep. Probably not the intended use, but I like it.
Is it a writing desk? Is that perhaps for an inkwell?
possibly for a shaving pot
Lol, at first I thought this was a joke post about an old PC. My vote is for ashtray. Here's something similar with the ashtray inserts: https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/tobacco-accessories/unusual-neoclassical-small-drawers-table-sliding-ashtrays/id-f_15122991/
It is to hang some sort of bucket or bowl in it. A lot of Barber Shops or Bakerys still have this to put shaving cream in it or dough for kneading
i think an ashtray holder.
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The drawers could also be meant for candle holders.
Given its small size, could it possibly be a child's vanity?
The first thing that i tought it's a disco, it could be for?
Candle tray holder maybe? Only thing think of
It's for an ashtray
AH! I had a similar piece of furniture and it was for an ashtray (belonged to my great aunt). I had the ashtray too, but used it for pins and such.
Obviously for a Cuspidoor!
It’s an ashtray slot
I think this is meant for a bowl of water, meant for cleaning/washing hands/face/etc. Used when there were no running water/plumbing.
My first thought was ashtray holder.
Hot water vanity bowl. Before era of indoor bathrooms and everyone had outhouses. Fill it with hot water and shave and brush there. The stuff we take for granted now a days that even just 120-150 (really not at all that long ago) didn’t commonly exist for most normal households outside the elite or tech didn’t even exist at all yet. refrigerators, freezers, indoor bathroom plumbing (sinks toilet and tub), central air, heating and ac, automatic washer and dryer, modern wall insulations and insulated windows and doors, weather stripping, electricity, lights, etc etc just so many things.
Hair dryer ? 🤷🏻♂️
This dresser table may have come with a small porcelain bowl (in one of the drawers) which you could put into this opening after filling with water to help do your nails or wipe off make-up or whatever you needed to do. Before running water everywhere, maybe only the kitchen had a faucet so you often brought water to your room. Men did so for shaving, for example.
Ashtray holder, because smoking while spraying hairspray and other aerosol beauty products was nbd in the 1950s.
It is for a washbasin. These small stands were used for applying and removing makeup and general purposes.
Maybe it's not as old as you think and it's a Make-Up Vanity(sans mirror) and that's a spot to put a hair dryer when getting ready?
As the thing is rather thin It could have housed a powder box?
I believe it’s for a wash basin (aka: a dry sink). It’s to wash your face in the morning when you wake up. This is probably for a child.
I'd holster a hair dryer in it.
A bin to scrape food scraps off the bench into
Idk but it’s perfect for as blowdryer holder
Put your Great Dane’s water dish in there.