COLLECTORS & HISTORIANS Authentic 1930s–40s Columbus Glass Washboard – Travel Size “Home” Brand with Waterfall Logo

Step back into America’s laundry history with this authentic 1930s–1940s Columbus Washboard Co. glass washboard. Produced in Columbus, Ohio.

This rare travel-size model features a glass scrubbing surface framed in wood, making it gentler on silks, hosiery, lingerie, and handkerchiefs than metal washboards of the era.

The top panel retains faint but legible advertising text: • “Ideal for silks, hosiery, and lingerie or handkerchiefs” • “Just the right size to fit a bucket, pail, or lavatory” • “Packs easily into suit case or traveling bag”

The reverse side displays the classic “Home” waterfall logo, a Columbus hallmark of the Depression and WWII years.

A true piece of Americana, this washboard is not only collectible but also a charming decorative accent for farmhouse, rustic, or vintage laundry room décor.

Details: • Maker: Columbus Washboard Co. (Columbus, OH, USA) • Era: Circa 1930s–1940s • Material: Glass scrubbing surface, wood frame • Approx. Size: 18” x 8 1/2” • Condition: Good vintage condition; wood shows age-related wear, logo is faded but visible. Top is dove tailed to sides. No cracks in glass.

BRIEF HISTORY LESSON The Columbus Washboard Company, founded in 1895 in Columbus, Ohio, is the last remaining U.S. washboard manufacturer still in operation today. During the 1930s and 1940s, their glass washboards were marketed as “fine wash” boards for silks, hosiery, and lingerie — a gentler alternative to tin or zinc. Compact “travel size” versions like this one were advertised as easy to pack in a suitcase or use in a hotel lavatory. The “Home” waterfall logo seen on this example is a hallmark of their Depression- and WWII-era advertising.