Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A Trip Back in the History of Laundry

I admit it, I have a weakness for antique stores.

For one thing, one never knows what one will find
in them.
It's like a treasure hunt each and every time.
For another thing, 
it is history, pure and simple.
I am torn between which of the two is the more compelling.

 At any rate, 
I recently came upon an item at my favorite
antique store in town that spoke to me.

It found a place of honor in the laundry room.


The only thing I did to this antique scrub board 
was to treat the wood with mineral oil.*

That brought out the words 
"Home Aide" on the front.





The words on the back of the board are:
"Ideal for silks, hosiery and lingerie
or handkerchiefs

"Just the right size to fit a bucket,
pail or lavatory

"Packs easily into suit case 
or traveling bag**

"Columbus Washboard Co., Columbus, Ohio"

**I wonder what TSA would think 
about finding a washboard in a carry-on bag.

"It's for washing my silks, hosiery and lingerie. Really."

"Sure, it is.  Step over here for a full body pat down."

* I waffled about doing anything at all to this 
washboard as it is an antique, but in the end,
I decided that the need for preserving the wood
and the clarity of the written words
was greater than the need for being "authentic".

Sometimes it's okay to touch-up a good antique.
Just make sure that you aren't harming the value by doing so.


2 comments:

Rosie Hawthorne said...

I love the "packs easily into suit case or traveling bag."

While traveling, do you take the scrub board down to the nearest river to wash your delicates?

Anonymous said...

No, Rosie, apparently you can take it to the nearest lavatory! vera charles