The Ross Table Wash-Stand

Q: I have a small wash table with a metal tag on it that says “The Ross Table Wash-Stand, Patented, Manufactured by Forest City Furniture Co., Rockford, Ill.” It has a hinged lid with a mirror on the inside of the lid and compartments to hold something. There is a shelf below. When was this made and what it might be worth?

A: Forest City Furniture Co. was in business in Rockford from 1869 to 1919. L.P. Ross was granted a patent for a “combined wash stand and table” in 1886. The compartments in the washstand are meant to hold the bowl and pitcher and there is a removable compartment for waste water. The shelf holds soap and towels. Your washstand is worth about $400.