Bathtub Art Museum

a museum dedicated to the art of the bath

7/2021: Postcard Exhibit 5: Clawfoot Tubbies

Bathtubs with feet, clawfoot tubbies, a tub that would walk away, but it's way too heavy! All these postcards show a classic claw-footed tub in the illustration or photograph. Many were mailed during the Golden age of postcards between 1907 and 1915. All but one show just a single bather in the tub. And one, the French version of "Folks are Friendly" shows two couples sharing one tub! The drawing is likely originally from the 1950s - 1960s (I have an English version of this postcard illustration mailed 1968!).

I love all the goofy postcard sayings. It would have been so fun to try to pick out a postcard to send for a penny during the 'Golden Age'. If you were to draw a tub, would you draw it with clawfeet?

Hard Luck (mailed in 1912)

The Water's Fine (mailed 1912)

Trying to Reach (mailed 1915

Body Washed Ashore (unmailed)

Bathing Lady (unmailed)

Good Spirits (mailed 1907)

Champagne Bath (mailed 1934)

Friendly Folks (mailed 1986)

Hands Up (unmailed)

All postcards depicted are part of the Bathtub Art Museum Collection