Professional photographer Chris Crumley and bath fittings manufacturer Victoria + Albert pose the existential question: if a mermaid takes a bath while underwater, does she get wet? Though Sartre might have relished such a conundrum, clients of Victoria + Albert, and aficionados of artist Crumley, are not so likely to be invested in the answer, but rather in the aesthetic possibilities of the scenario—and these are propitious possibilities indeed, especially given the comely contours of Victoria + Albert’s lovely Roxburgh Bathtub.

Roxburgh Victorian Slipper Style Bathtub. Manufactured by Victoria + Albert. Photography by Chris Crumley.

Victoria + Albert’s Roxburgh Tub Beautifies Bath and Bathers Alike

Photographer Crumley—who’s recently drawn raves for his fantastic underwater images—chose this particular incarnation of Victoria + Albert’s stunning line of 100% Englishcast tubs. The material, a blend of volcanic limestone and high performance resins, naturally imparts a quintessentially Victorian tint of alabaster white, absolutely perfect for its provocative contrast with the surrounding water, not to mention the mermaid’s flame red hair and fiery orange fins.

The Englishcast tub has other perks besides the color. Since Crumley and Co. must shoot their underwater compositions in his exclusive “wet studio” (a 22,000 gallon indoor pool), a prime requisite of the tub is that it be easy to move. Roxburgh was thus ideal for the project, as Englishcast imparts the look of classic clawfoot cast iron, but without the weight: “The Victoria + Albert classic Victorian slipper tub had the right ‘look’ and was also light enough for two people to lift and move around the studio (in the 130 lb range) thanks to the amazing Englishcast material.”

About the Manufacturer: Victoria + Albert designs and manufactures volcanic limestone baths, in addition to vessel basins, bath and basin mixers, and a variety of bathtub and sink accessories. If a “volcanic limestone tub” is new parlance to you, you might better know the material under the term “Englishcast,” a high performance resin that captures the look of classic cast iron tubs without the inconvenience of the weight. Victoria + Albert’s line of Englishcast bathtubs runs the gamut—from iconic silhouettes like the classic Victorian Slipper Tub (Roxburgh), to contemporary stunners like the capacious ios or the spout-style Amalfi.