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GLOSSARY

Bourdalou

Bourdalou, a lidded chamber pot

Bourdalou, a lidded chamber pot Qing dynasty, Qianlong (1736-95) period. Length 24 cm.

Oval chamber pot, made from both porcelain and pottery by leading continental European factories, by English factories, and even in China for export back to Europe. Wedgwood made them in cream ware, and referred to them as "coach pots". The name is said to derived from the name of a French preacher at the court of Louis XIV who preached such interminable sermons that ladies in the church started to bring these chamber pot with then to the church, concealed to be used secretly, hidden under their wide dresses.

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