The very word “cuspidor” conjures a long-lost era of handlebar moustaches, barbershop quartets, and high starched collars, and yet we might be surprised at how long cuspidors lingered in public use.

“Not until yesterday did Capitol employees appreciate the real sentiment in a highly polished brass cuspidor nor the grandeur of the ordinary blue-flowered ‘gaboon.’ ‘Flowers are like men ...

Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at [email protected] or 202-633-3270. Gloves ...

Take a look back at some very familiar home goods, like beds and drapes, and some lesser-known, like the biaphone and cuspidor. In the early 20th century, retailers John Wanamaker and Herr, ...

Answer: They are older plumbing terms that once were everyday words. A “cuspidor” is the little porcelain sink into which you spit, like that while undergoing dental work. A “water closet ...

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