I spied a vintage watering can from a distance and started making my way toward it when a friend said “Don’t you even think about it”. Surprised, I turned to face her and she said “Don’t you think you have enough watering cans already?”. I had never really thought about it. I knew I had several cans but really had no idea how many until I actually started gathering them up for this diary. Guess what I’ll be selling at the flea market next year?
Before I show you my hoard collection, just some brief history of early watering cans.
The earliest watering pots were made from terra-cotta. This one is from the 16th century, 13 ½ “ high and recently sold for $5,647.00.
The earliest known implement for watering floors or gardens was the glazed fired clay thumb pot, in use from medieval times, when it was known as a 'water can', until the 17th century. This was a simple narrow topped pot with perforated base filled with water and controlled by the thumb placed over the mouth of the pot. Later all pots were made with roses, in copper and then iron or steel.
The record for a watering pot at auction is held by Sotheby's Billingshurst with a similar pot to that above which sold for $6,588.00 on 23rd September 2003.
The above is an illustration from “The Compleat Florist” by Louis Liger D’Auxerre in 1706.
The name ‘Watering Can’ first appeared in 1692 in Timothy Keeble’s Diary. Early cans were made in copper and then in 1850, iron, brass and zinc.
So let’s begin. This is the first outdoor watering can that I ever purchased and it was $2 from a tag sale in the 1980s. Before then I had only grown houseplants so I never had a need for one. This galvanized ca. 1950s bucket still retains its metal carrying handle’s wooden cover. It was only recently that I realized the can’s original use was for filling car radiators.
I starting using this ca. 1930s can as my main watering bucket about three years ago. I love the gooseneck and the feel of the handles in my hands while using it. It was also originally used for filling up car radiators. I use this one many times a day in season and even in winter it gets used a lot.
The majority of my watering cans are kept in the back section of my basement built in 1798 that has brick and brownstone walls with a built-in "summer kitchen". The cans display beautifully there with other old garden tools and equipment. I also display some around an old soapstone sink. Kenny Jose, my cat, and I are really the only ones to enjoy them except for adventure seeking visitors that travel down there. The rest of the cans are in my house, barn or yard.
These three with attached brass tags are all from England. At the top is the oldest one that I own and I’ll put a date of ca. 1880 on it. This date is due to the shape, the twisted wire attached to the spout for support plus the rivets on the handles.
It also has a tag stating that it holds two gallons of water
The middle watering can has a tag stating "Haws Pattern" which tells me it was made in England
The bottom one is also made by Haws. (there is an American company that recently took this name)
It also comes with two different attachments for the end of the spout.
This one is German and the most expensive one I have bought, yes even with the side dent. This style is hard to find and is one of the most collectible. I keep it outside and use it for pots around the back yard’s sitting area which is just out of reach from the 100 foot water hose.
The name of Schneiderkanne on the can appears to be quite obscure as I am not able to find any information about the company, other than their old watering cans being listed for sale in mostly Germany. 10 L means the can holds ten liters (a little over 2 ½ gallons). The rose’s holes are turned up rather than down. This allows a lighter spread-out water stream which is better for the soil than directly down on it.
This early one is extremely funky, very rare and may be my favorite. I like the rust stain coming down the side. It’s also the last one I purchased which was this past July in Brimfield from an upstate NY dealer. It has such an incredible design and I would date it ca. 1920s.
This is my largest one and it’s difficult to carry when full of water because of its weight. I’ve been known to put it in a wheelbarrow and roll it to distance plants in the back that need a lot of water, such as the new raspberry patch and the ground cherries.
I like the fluted sides of these two. If you see these or even old metal trash cans with fluted sides, buy them! Highly collectible. I also have two old metal washtubs with fluted sides.
These five still have their original rosettes.
Brass rose heads are always in demand.
I usual pick up old brass roses at sales when they are $2 or $3 but I won’t pay one dime more. Some sellers know that gardeners like the vintage ones and I have seen them marked as high as $20!!
These two very small ones must be for children. I really like the red one on the right. I believe the one on the left is stainless steel.
These two cruddy ones are fantastic and have seen a lot of use
I love the special detail to the inside of the pouring handle. The rivets on the carrying handle date it as an early one.
similar to each other but not
This huge one is very easy to use. The handle was added at a later date. I really like the can’s long spout and the curve of its end
This beauty is a joy to use. Notice the rivets on the handles.
how about this unique one? It has a lot going for it
one of my favorites is this early green-painted small one that I use to water pots on the side porch in the summer and indoors in the winter. This one is always in sight somewhere.
This one was not included in the above original family portrait. Amazingly it still retains its original paper label.
I use these plastic jugs to water plants in the basement during winter. I water about every two weeks and can get two waterings from these. It becomes quite a chore to bring them upstairs when empty, fill them with water and then lug them back downstairs. I could carry five at one time until “the accident” so now it’s only three at once.
I have had plants in the past that require misting but they truly did not like living with me
Also not included in the diary’s photograph were these. The large blue one on the upper left is a French graniteware water pitcher. The green plastic one had belonged to a previous partner. I believe the one on the right with its original blue paint was used for motor oil. It’s a beauty.
The beige one on the left was my mother’s and I use it for watering upstair houseplants. The white Tupperware pitcher is used for watering plants downstairs
I keep this early treasure filled with room-temperature water for a few special plants.
This half of a watering can is actually a hanging pot for plants
and finally this prize came from Smiths Grove, Kentucky. It is homemade from a tin can with added metal pieces for the spout, handle and part of another can as the upper shield.
I showed you mine so now show me yours ……….