Vintage Stoneware Hotwater Bottle

This is a stoneware hot water bottle dating to the Victorian era (1837-1901). Generally used for heating beds, these hot water bottles were also often taken coach or train journeys. Transport such as this could be cold and draughty, and having a hand or foot warming bottle was important in ensuring a comfortable journey. This one is fairly heavy and would have been heavier still when filled with water. It is glazed in cream with a brown-glazed handle at one end and a brown-glazed screw top where the water was added. This particular bottle was for the feet. It has a flat base so that it can stand upright easily, either in a bed or on the floor of a coach or train carriage. Women would have been able to warm their feet well as their long skirts which covered the bottle, forming a tent to trap the heat.
Length: 10"
Width: 4"