This is indeed a rare, wall-hung dental cuspidor. They were first popular in the late 1919s when it was considered unsanitary to brush one's teeth where one washed the hands. They were first added by the wealthy. They gained popularity in the next twenty years and then as quickly were gone. Here are pics of two such dental cuspidors from a Victorian mansion that my sister is considering rehabbing. Simply gorgeous. These were not originally intended to hold water and most did not have facets, but rather spouts, and most did not have stoppers to allow water to be held.

Thanks for your comments, all! (Pardon the lack of formatting, I've been typing this all on my phone!) ____________ Roarah: I think the marble-look hex option looks great! And the grey tile for herringbone is lovely too. I actually was set on doing a herringbone floor at first until it became more difficult to source a 3x20 or 4x24 length tile (I prefer a very long and lean look with a herringbone). Not sure if this will help you differentiate/decide between them, but the herringbone in that size feels a bit more modern to me, whereas the marble hex feels more classic/luxurious but I'm sure either choice will be beautiful on your floors! mrsshayne & grannysmith18: Thanks for sharing your experiences (I've been researching the heck out of those who've lived with penny tile floors to see if they ended up loving/hating them; interestingly, I found much more info on the black penny tile look but not a lot regarding white (except not to use white grout). Yeah, I think the amount of grout and worrying about it getting dirty is what's holding me back. Also, whether having such a large floor area of penny tile will be visually overwhelming instead of soothing and inviting. ____________ Latest Update: I actually returned the original 12x24 grey Porcelain (it was beautiful but was a bit rough in texture which I wasn't sure I wanted underfoot in the bathroom) and ended up buying a White Penny Porcelain mosaic with Mapei Flexcolor CQ Frost grout for the floors. However (>_<), I still can't help but have that nagging sense that this isn't the "right floor" yet... I realize I'm doing the penny or considering hex tiles because I feel like I owe it to the Victorian gods to be historically accurate but at the same time, if we could just have a smooth, one surface (minimal grout lines), white or light grey colored, easy to clean floor, I would. In other words, I feel like I'm trying to put in penny or smaller hex cause that's what it seems like I'm "supposed" to do, but I can tell that I don't actually love them (except for the marble hex which is out of our budget, since we have over 100 SF to tile) which is probably why I ruled them out in the first place, sigh. So I'm still in dilemma mode...but am thinking of choosing one of these really large format tiles from a local retailer (who offers bargain prices on bathroom fixtures and larger cement-look tile): https://goo.gl/photos/3wE9kcS3WPbp9sD18 Mainly, I'm reminded that my original goals for the bathroom were to make it whiter and brighter (maximize the minimal light), more spa-like, with some modern flair/finishes at a reasonable cost, though choosing the "right" tile seems like a decision that will never end until we finally get started on laying things down. Along with trying to choose a finish that a future buyer won't curse me for, the way I did when I saw the red terra cotta on the bathroom floor :P. ____________ I'll keep the thread updated with how things turn out (I really appreciate when others have done the same; it's neat to see people's considerations for why they did what they did and the incredible changes that can be made), just hope the bathroom doesn't turn out ugly (cause then I'll be less inclined to post :P!) Thanks for reading!

Beth H., do you know more about the fixtures / hardware in that first photo you posted? It doesn't look quite as brassy gold as some of the gold finishes I've seen. It's a beautiful color. Thank you for all the thoughts on breaking up the black/gray/white. If we end up with our gray vanity and plain brushed nickel / stainless fixtures (may be necessary due to budget constraints), can I add a wood frame or other colored metal frame to our mirror or is that too many different colors / styles? We're planning on an extra large mirror to cover the sink and toilet (the wall is about 60" long) and were considering doing it frameless or just slightly beveled, but could go with a frame if it's the right look. The sink has to be flush with the wall on the left, so I can't add much framing otherwise it will push the mirror too far to the right, but something narrow is possible. Given the size we will probably have it cut by a glass store so can likely add any simple frame we choose.

I find it confusing that you want to both make sure things go in your 1940s home, yet not look too dated. I would say that the large 3-section med cab is not dated enough. It is straight from the 1970s and 80s. You would better honor the era of the house if you go with two med cabs. Go with the larger ones if you can afford them and the alterations to the stud bays they will need. Is that vanity coming with that faucet? I would look for something with more curves, instead. The ones there are quite modern. Sconces on either side of a mirror provide the best light. You may be able to get three, with only one in the middle if the spacing on the wall works right, but you may need four. Or look for one with two lights in the center. Get out graph paper and draw your wall space, the cabinets you choose, and the placement of the sinks. You will have to work out the spacing to see if you can place sconces where they will fit on your wall, balance with each other, and not crowd the med cabs or any side walls.