bathtub." The item's use as a hog scalder was considered a more important marketing point than its ability to function as a bathtub. In the latter half of the 20th century, the once popular clawfoot tub morphed into a built-in tub with a small apron front. This enclosed style afforded easier maintenance and, with the emergence of colored sanitary ware, more design options for the homeowner. The Crane Company introduced colored bathroom fixtures to the United States market in 1928, and slowly this influx of design options and easier cleaning and care led to the near demise of clawfoot-style tubs. In the 1960s fiberglass bathtubs became the standard for homes, being lightweight and inexpensive. James R. Wheeler and his brother Richard in 1979 adapted the acrylic being used for outdoor spas to make acrylic bathtubs. Working with Spartech Plastics, they developed the modern co-extruded and durable acrylic bathtub. The company American Bath Factory was the first to expand the diversity of acrylic bathtubs to include whirlpools, clawfoot bathtubs, and a large variety of pedestal and modern bathtubs. The process for enamelling cast iron bathtubs was invented by the Scottish-born American David Dunbar Buick. Types Clawfoot tub The clawfoot tub was considered a luxury item in the late 19th century, originally made from cast iron and lined with porcelain. Modern technology has contributed to a drop in the price of clawfoot tubs, which may now be made of fiberglass, acrylic or other modern materials. Clawfoot tubs usually require more water than a standard bathtub, because generally they are larger. While true antique clawfoot tubs are still considered collectible items, new reproduction clawfoot tubs are chosen by remodelers and new home builders and much like the Western-style bathtubs, clawfoot tubs can also include a variety of shower head options. Clawfoot tubs come in four major styles: Classic roll rim tubs, also called roll top tubs or flat rim tubs as seen in the picture at the top of this page. Slipper tubs – where one end is raised and sloped creating a more comfortable lounging position. Double slipper tubs – where both ends are raised and sloped. Double ended tubs – where both ends of the tub are rounded, as opposed to the classic roll rim tub, which has one rounded end and one fairly flat end. Pedestal tubs Pedestal tubs rest on a pedestal in what many would term an art