About this piece
back to topA vintage art deco Dutch porcelain bidet made by De Sphinx. This 20th century piece has an even crazed vintage look, which would make for a stylish addition to a bathroom in a contemporary or period property.
De Sphinx
De Sphinx, more commonly known as Royal Sphinx, was founded by Petrus Regout in 1834 in Maastricht.
In 1879, the image of the sphinx started to be used as a company mark and logo. Since 1899, the company was called De Sphinx.
In 1958, the company merged with Société Ceramique and changed its name to N.V. Sphinx-Céramique. In 1960, thanks to a royal decision, the name was changed into Royal Sphinx.
But, Royal Sphinx in Maastricht no longer exists as a production plant; the name Sphinx is now owned by Swiss company, Geberit.
History of the Bidet
Nobody knows who was responsible for the invention of bidet, but historians agree that they first appeared in the 17th century in France as the bedroom hygiene tool. It later received several upgrades, until it eventually became an integral part of the modern bathroom.
Bidet comes from the French word “bitet” which is translates to “pony”. They also called it “trot”, which is a way someone can ride a pony. Sometimes a bidet was even called “garden horse”.