In the 18th century, large jugs or ewers were used with matching basins during the toilette , never at the dining table. They would have been displayed on a wealthy lady's dressing table and used for washing during the process of dressing, hairdressing and applying make-up. Food was often consumed during this lengthy procedure, making hand washing even more necessary. Ewers and basins were also used in the garde-robe which was used in the same way as a plumbed-in bathroom today in the mid 1700s. Royal garde-robes or cabinets de toilette were comfortably furnished and often had painted wood panelling and matching porcelain accessories.

Rosalind Savill, in her catalogue of Sèvres porcelain in The Wallace Collection, lists the many different items the Sèvres factory made for the toilette. including foot- washing bowls, mouth-rinsing bowls, spitoons, bidets, barber's basins, chamber pots, eye-baths, sponge and soap boxes as well as pots and brush handles for make-up and different kinds of powder.