Commode

While it may not look like it, this commode would have been the equivalent of an indoor toilet when it was purchased from Meads and Alvord for $10 in 1834. Standing at 34 ¼ inches, the commode was a closed stool with a chamber pot hidden inside. The commode’s top lifted to reveal a flat sitting surface with a hole that centered over the inner pot. This design was ingenious given it disguised the object’s purpose by appearing as a small cabinet. When not in use, the commode was stored away until a servant emptied the chamber pot in most likely the late evening. In all, the commode would have been an excellent alternative to braving the outdoor elements. 

The commode was generally the preferred lavatory choice for those who could afford it, but it also had little competition in the West prior to the 19th century. Indoor flush toilets were uncommon as well as expensive, although that did not stop the Clarkes from installing a water closet underneath the Grand Staircase.