Spittoons enclosed in wood cases
A pair of dark brown ceramic spittoons, each enclosed in an eight-sided wooden box, with hinged lid, mounted on three ball feet. The raised dome, padded lid of each box is covered with red patterned cloth, secured by brass stud nails around the edge. The box appears to be made from pinewood and the sides are varnished.
The spittoons came from the old United Free Church (now the West Church Hall). It is hard to imagine anyone spitting in church but if you consider that they may have been used at the beginning of the 20th century when smoking was very common and pipe smoking in particular much more common than later in the century, it is perhaps less surprising. Coupled with the effects of smoking, the period is substantially before the days of antibiotics thus the results of colds and 'flu would have lasted considerably longer.
Dimensions: Width 270 mm - Height 140 mm