Child's potty chair "Little Buffer"; wooden with leather straps, English, 1922-29

Low chair of brown stained and varnished laminated wood, with a straight back and winged side-pieces; the chair has two short legs at the front and a stabilising block at the back. It is mounted on three wheels, the two rear wheels each fixed to a block at the side, and the single front wheel loosely mounted on a metal axis in the centre of the front stretcher. There is a leather carrying strap attached to the back of the chair, and a circle has been cut in the centre of the fixed seat to hold a child's removable potty.

Matching food tray, trapezoid in shape, recessed within its edges, and having wooden arms hinged near the middle to fold flat when not in use; the tray fastens to the chair with two wooden pegs on the inside of each arm.

Matching removable seat, consisting of a trapezoid piece of wood with two recessed finger grips in the front edge, and which fits flat over the potty when the latter is not in use.

Circular potty of white-enamelled tin with a narrow dark blue band around the rim and a dark blue and white looped handle.

Originally believed to have been used by Alan Mabbitt (born 1887) & his brother Leslie (born 1891) the sons of Thomas Mabbitt of Bow & Leytonstone, & his Swedish wife Hellen, but as the design was not patented until 1922, the users will have been Leslie's children Hellen (born 1926) & Peter (one of the donors, born 1929).

Patent No 207617/22 "Improvements in or relating to Baby Carriages" applied for by Walter Percy Cresswell on 01/09/1922

The Little Buffer is a multi-purpose mobile chair, complete with potty and food tray. Itwas designed so that it could be propelled about the floor by the child sitting in it, even if the child were not able to walk, with a leather safety strap of leather to hold the child firmly in place.

B.301-1996