Browse Catchpole & Rye's luxury shower collection. Beautifully crafted shower enclosures, refined exposed & concealed showers fittings & freestanding showers.
Browse Catchpole & Rye's luxury shower collection. Beautifully crafted shower enclosures, refined exposed & concealed showers fittings & freestanding showers.

Companies such as John Bolding & Sons and Shanks & Co in the UK and Jacob Delafon in France created designs that are still much sought after to this day. Roll-top double-ended baths with centrally positioned taps originated in France, and many of Catchpole & Rye’s handmade freestanding baths are replicas of French designs. The Saracen, for example, is based on an early 19th-century bath manufactured in Lyon;

and the Niederbronn is based on an original antique bath, which we sourced from Niederbronn-les-Bains in Alsace, where it was manufactured in the 1880s.

It is Jacob Delafon who is widely credited with manufacturing the first bateau bath in the late 19th century, his aim being to create a more stylish, refined tub shape for the rich and fashionable. This iconic style remains as popular as ever and will surely endure for centuries to come.

By the late 1800s, both Bolding and Shanks were manufacturing luxurious canopy baths (baths that incorporate a curved shower wall) for their most wealthy customers. Sophisticated even by today’s standards, they were impressive pieces of furniture, sometimes featuring carved wood cases or ornate enamelled exteriors.

Catchpole & Rye’s Sentinel Canopy Bath is a stunning replica based on an Edwardian design – it has all the style of the original, with the added benefit of modern engineering to ensure the most luxurious bathing and showering experience.

We also supplied this exceptional example of an antique canopy bath to Balfour Castle on the Orkney Islands. It is a glamorous centrepiece that reflects the castle’s distinguished history.

Some of our designs are born as a result of a specific find. Our Kinross marble washstand, for example, was originally commissioned for a stately home in Scotland and was based on an original Shanks & Co basin that had been found in the basement. The beautifully proportioned basin, with its delicate gold legs and marble surround, complements the Palladian architecture of the house perfectly.

Browse Catchpole & Rye's luxury shower collection. Beautifully crafted shower enclosures, refined exposed & concealed showers fittings & freestanding showers.

Although a separate shower enclosure was still an unusual feature in a private home, by the late 1880s various designs were emerging. Catchpole & Rye’s La Cage is inspired by a 19th-century French original and is made entirely from brass pipe work. In the Victorian era, cage showers like this one were sold more for their perceived therapeutic benefits than as luxury products and were marketed in particular to men’s sports clubs. The powerful jets of water that hit the body from all angles were considered potentially harmful for women’s fragile bodies!

For those looking to introduce period flair to their homes, attention to detail is everything. Some of the handcrafted bathroom accessories that will add an authentic feel include our La Loire (19th century France) or The English (classic Edwardian) tap heads:

The Box Seat or The Thunderbox, both of which are Victorian replicas:

and our Ladder Arched Towel Rail, which is based on an old Victorian clothes horse design. The classic shape and contemporary polished brass finish elevate it from practical bathroom furnishing to statement piece.

These Catchpole & Rye designs combine historical authenticity with modern-day functionality, making them the perfect choice for homeowners who want a classical aesthetic without losing any of the comfort or luxury we expect of a contemporary bathroom. For more information about our bespoke products, from the traditional to the high-tech, please visit our website, request a brochure or visit one of our two showrooms.

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