National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Resource History and Description of Existing Conditions
of a building where sanitary fixtures are used. . . . All the large new first-class hotels, as well
as fine private dwellings, have tiled rooms with porcelain baths and all open fixtures. 1157
The family and guest bathrooms all had white tiled walls. The basement servants'
bathrooms' walls were painted, as were those in the north servants' bathroom. Fixtures had
exposed silver-plated brass pipes in the formal areas of the house, and nickel-plated in the
service areas. Water closets throughout were from J.L. Mott. The basement servants' toilets
were the "Descendo" model while the Vanderbilts', guest rooms, and third story servants'
bathroom all had the "Primo Improved" model. In its catalog, J.L. Mott referred to its
"thousands [of Primos] already in use, in the very best private and public buildings." The
"Primo" is a siphon-jet water closet. The "Descendo" is of the "Wash-down form," described as
"effective, compact and well adapted both for private and public use." 1158 These water closets
are plain and basic and represent a very utilitarian choice as opposed to more elaborate
decorative models available.
The supplier for the bathtubs and sinks throughout the house was Meyer Sniffen Co.,
with the exception of Mr. Vanderbilt's tub, which came from Rufford and Company. The
faucets, traps, and other hardware also came from Meyer Sniffen. In addition to her large tub,
Mrs. Vanderbilt had a seat bath in her bathroom that was equipped with both a "wave" that
would hit the small of her back, and a "spray," that came up from the bottom of the bath. 1159 Mr.
Vanderbilt's bathtub was equipped with a shower bath, also from Meyer Sniffen. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Vanderbilt's bathtubs had "mixers" that enabled the hot and cold water to emerge at a
regulated temperature from a single faucet. While Mr. Vanderbilt's shower is particularly
elaborate, shower baths were commonly available by mid-century and J.L. Mott regularly
advertised a shower bath with both a deluge shower from above and multiple shower heads at
the sides (needle sprays) by 1880. 1160
One additional interesting note is found in a description of the Pavilion, or bachelor's
lodge. According to an article in the Poughkeepsie Sunday Courier, the first floor had several
bathrooms, furnished with eight "cistern shower baths." The article continued, "The purpose of
this being to furnish free and easy accommodation for bachelor friends of Mr. Vanderbilt, the
bathrooms are for their refreshment on coming in from golf or tennis." 1161
The 1897 J.L. Mott catalog also described the current practice for kitchen sink
installations:
Both in the Kitchen and pantry, and in the scullery, the sink set in woodwork (a harbor for
dirt and vermin) has been replaced by the tiled wall with an open porcelain sink and hinged
drain boards. In the laundry, with the exception of the portable wringer base, woodwork has
been entirely gotten rid of; and so it is, all through, in both public and private buildings. 1162
1157
The J. L. Mott Iron Works, "Plumbing and Sanitary Department Catalogue 'R' (New York, 1897)." In
the collection of Hagley Museum and Library.
1158
J. L. Mott, 166.
1159
As a side note, there is a call button on the wall directly above the seat bath. It is a particularly difficult
bath to get out of on one's own and it appears that the need for help was clearly understood.
1160
Maureen Ogle, All the Modern Conveniences, American Household Plumbing, 1840-1890 (Baltimore:
The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996), 67-8, 140.
1161
Charles W. Snell, "A Preliminary Report on the Frederick W. Vanderbilts of Hyde Park, New York,"
April 1, 1954, 44. ROVA Resource Management Records.
1162
J. L. Mott, Catalog.
206