Model of the ‘Optimus’ water closet, England, 1870
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Invented by Stevens Hellyer in 1870, the ‘Optimus’ water closet or toilet was an improvement on earlier designs, flushing more efficiently and quieter. Raising the handle opens a large valve at the base of the pan and also turns on the flushing water. The flushing water runs for a time to ensure that the pan and valve are fully flushed. Keeping the flap clean was difficult but many toilets of this type were still used a hundred years later. Hellyer was a campaigner for better plumbing, writing the textbook The Plumber & Sanitary Houses in 1877. Made by Dent & Hellyer, this model, which was constructed for a patent application, was donated to the Science Museum by the Earl of Cranbrook in 1961.
Object number:
1961-32
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: model - representation
Use for a scaled representation of an object or structure, usually three-dimensional. The item is often idealised or modified to make it conceptually easier to understand.
Glossary: water closet
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