Columbus Washboard Co. "Crystal Cascade" No. 2080 Glass Washboard View Watchlist >
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Lot # E823
System ID # 28743821
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Columbus Washboard Co. "Crystal Cascade" No. 2080 Glass Washboard
Before the washing machine conquered the American household, Monday was wash day — and a good washboard was as essential as a strong back. The Columbus Washboard Co. understood this, and their "Crystal Cascade" line represented their premium glass offering: heavier ribbed clear glass set into a pine frame, gentler on fabric than zinc or steel, and easier to keep clean. The front header panel carries the brand's most expressive graphic — bold block lettering arcing over a tumbling waterfall, blue-ink bubbles cascading across the panel, with the maker's name set neatly into the rocky base: Columbus Washboard Co., Columbus, Ohio. It's folk-commercial art at its most earnest. The reverse is stamped with the full model identification: Standard Family Size, Heavy Glass, No. 2080.
Founded in 1895 and still operating in Logan, Ohio, Columbus Washboard Co. holds the unlikely distinction of being the last washboard manufacturer in the United States — a claim that transforms earlier examples like this one from mere household relics into documents of American domestic and industrial history. The through-tenoned pine legs, shaped soap ledge at the top, and broad family-size format place this firmly in the mid-twentieth century production run. Today these boards turn up in laundry-room décor, country kitchen displays, and on the laps of jug-band and skiffle musicians who have long understood what the ribbed glass does to a thimble at tempo.
CONDITION
Good with age-appropriate wear and clear signs of household use. The pine frame shows scuffing, soiling, and minor darkening and edge losses at the leg bottoms consistent with long-term floor contact. The stenciled graphics on both faces are intact and fully legible with expected ink fade. The ribbed glass scrubbing panel is sound with no cracks noted.
DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS
- Overall: 23 3/4" H × 12 1/2" W × 2" D
- Model: No. 2080, Standard Family Size, Heavy Glass
- Maker: Columbus Washboard Co., Columbus, Ohio
- Pattern: "Crystal Cascade"
- Materials: Pine frame, ribbed glass scrubbing panel
- Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included
