Toothbrush

14.0941

This week's inventory find of the week offers the familiarity of a now–ubiquitous hygiene tool: the toothbrush. This bone example dates from around the turn of the twentieth century and was excavated from the site of Leland and Jane Stanford's Palo Alto Mansion on the Stanford University campus. Toothbrushes like this one were by then so common, and so many different kinds of people lived in and visited the Stanfords' household, we can't know to whom this one belonged–even as to guessing social status, gender, age, or ethnicity. This brush does have a rather large head, so it might fit uncomfortably in a smaller mouth. And it was very well used, judging by the polished wear on the handle. The makers mark is still legible, however, telling us it was imported from the English business "PROUX" with the address "299. STRAND," a well–known shopping street in London. That building, built in 1625 and a rare survivor of the 1666 Great Fire of London, still stands.

H–0.4 W–1.9 L–16 cm

bone

Mixed artifacts excavated from the site of the Stanfords' Palo Alto mansion.

Archaeology – Stanford Mansion