Dictionary

water bench en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (historical) A type of antique, rustic furniture commonly associated with Pennsylvania Dutch or Early American design.
   • The small size of the Pennsylvania water bench suggests its modern use as a dresser, although it was originally made to support pails of water in the kitchen or the wash-shed. In the usual water bench there is a cupboard base, a broad top, and above that a shelf which often has three small shallow drawers just below it. 1933 August 27, Walter Rendell Storey, “ITALY'S INFLUENCE IN CLASSICAL ROOMS; Her Furniture of the Eighteenth Century Much in Demand By Decorators”, in The New York Times:
   • A water bench is a simple utility piece of furniture intended to store water. A water bench consisted of a lower closed cupboard and a single upper shelf with one or multiple drawers resting on bracket feet or simple boot jack feet. Unknown, Nazia Safi, “Water Bench”, in Worth Point:
   • This is a photo of an antique pine bench that belonged to my parents when they lived in Florida. When they gave it to me, they told me it was a water bench. It is approximately 17 inches high and 33 inches wide. Although I think it has been refinished, there are signs of it being used over the years. 2019 November 22, Anne McCollam, “Water Bucket Bench Sat Outside the Kitchen”, in Creators:
   • This classic Pennsylvania water bench has the construction and form indicative of the mid-19th century. Long and narrow, the feet are beautifully scalloped and affixed to the top by way of a triple mortise. 2020s, Jeff R. Bridgeman, “LONG PENNSYLVANIA WATER BENCH WITH TRIPLE-MORTISED CONSTRUCTION AND BEAUTIFULLY SCALLOPED LEGS, CA 1850”, in American Antiques:

Forms

Synonyms

milk bench · bucket bench