A Sink Timeline
8:50AM
I read an email from Cody. He found a cool sink on Facebook Marketplace for $10. In Emporia.
Oh. My.
A 1932 American Standard with original legs and all-important mounting bracket.
I wrote the seller, STAT.
He still had it.
.
9:45AM
In my car.
11:30AM
In place, in the new first-floor full bath. The depth is perfect because the door would have bonked into a deeper sink. The floor will be oak.
I love love love how the faucet is part of the ceramic sink. Soooooo cute!
The sink is in excellent condition, and I have a round 1930s bathroom mirror (originally in the Cross House) which I will hang on the wall. On the ceiling, I will mount a 1930s light.
So…Cody scores again!
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Holy damn. That lavatory could have come from our downstairs bathroom in Wichita–which the seller’s bathroom closely resembles. The time period is right, and the lavatory appears to be a step-up model from the one we had. The floor is the same 4-2-1 random layout, in two of the four floor tile colors in our bathroom; we also had charred brown and black tiles mixed in. The wall and base tiles are the same.
Our bathroom had black edge tiling, black soapdish and toothbrush tiles above the lav, black tile towel barends and black towel bars, a black inset TP tile, and black inset soapdish/washrag bar tiles in the tub alcove and separate shower. The tub had an arch over it, and was an odd model with a lowered front edge and a bir of a seat at the dry end. There was an arched mirrored nook over a built-in chest of drawers, which had black glass drawer pulls.
A neighbor who had lived across the street since 1927 told us that the lady of the house had been hit by a car while crossing the street sometime in the early 1930s, and the bathroom was put in as part of a large addition on the back of the house, where she lived after the accident.
The addition was at one point used as a beauty salon. The main room was about 19′ x 21′; there was a small room that had water supply for a hair-washing sink, plus two welcome little closets, and drawers and cabinets built in.
I’ll catch my breath now.
It “had” all those things. Meaning it doesn’t any more?
Man, I would have killed for a bathroom like that in my house no matter what color it was.
I only have green tiles on the sink counter with the rounded black tile edge. No build in soapdish or toothbrush holder or anything. The towel bars were white ceramic with the plastic squared bar broken. There is an original white ceramic toilet paper holder. I have a nice fairly long and deep tub, at least compared to the kiddie tub in my parent’s house. I did some remodeling when the water pipes were replaced so I tried to add some black and green tiles to the white. I replaced the pulls with green glass. Even built in some little shelves at tub and shower level to hold shampoo and such. Bought some retro fixtures. The light is vintage ceramic with a clambroth slip shade. I am taking that thing with me if I ever leave the house I love it so much.
I highly encourage a light over the sink mirror rather than a central light in the room. A ceiling light casts shadows when you’re looking the mirror.
Oh, I have the original built in wooden medicine cabinet and door. I did replace the mirror as it was losing it’s silver and was nothing fancy. I reused all of the original clips that held it in place as I couldn’t find replacements anywhere. The glass shelves inside slide in and out but are not adjustable.
I imagine/hope the bathroom is still intact. We moved out of that house in 2012. The guy who bought it was something of a dolt, but I don’t think he would have replaced that bathroom. The original bathroom upstairs was more in need of work.
The addition on the back was the main reason my lovely wife and I bought that house.
I’m so happy for you Ross!!! Everything is falling in place regarding the Carriage House.
Cody has been incredibly helpful. He’s so sharp and scores these amazing finds! I’m so happy he is there right now!! It makes me smile every time he scores something obscure and amazing!
I cannot wait to hipster this bathroom to death.
It’s gonna be fabulous.
Stay tuned.
IN Emporia. With the legs, faucets, mounting hardware, everything? For $10? And the perfect size to boot?
You are living a charmed life.
1932 is just a decade off of what might have been original to my house.
I’ve got a fabulous light in my bathroom now that I scored off eBay for $35. It is ceramic and has a clambroth shade. I love it so much more than what was there which was just a bulb in a socket. Have no idea what any of the original light fixtures might have been except for the dining room one that was broken before title closed.
Have you decided on tiles for the bathroom floor?
What a wonderful find! The model is Standard “Companion”. I have a 1950’s version of this fabulous shelf back sink in my house. When we moved in the handles leaked. We fixed that problem with new stems from deabath.com
That is SO cute!!! Perfect! You and Cody are a dream team!😃
That is the perfect small sink. I love the large ledge (rather than small corners) for stable storage of soap and other high-use items!
Very neat! Will you leave the lap siding as the wall surface? My great-grandparents’ bathroom was a 1940s add-on in what was originally an 1890s sleep porch, and they left the siding exposed on those two walls; I always thought that was cool when I was a kid.
So perfect! So many of the sinks I see like that have separate hot and cold faucets that are a pain. 🙂
Thank you for using the word “bonked”. Been a while since I have heard it used.
(Question for Ross and/or whomever), what is the lever above the integrated spout used for? Is it for opening and closing the drain? Thanks!
Thank you for noticing the writing! I get few comments on my choice of words, word play, phrasing, or overall presentation.
I greatly enjoy writing, delight in using archaic words, and relish presenting a post in an unusual way! With this post, the ‘timeline’ proved enjoyable.
Yes, the lever controls the drain.
Ross, while I don’t comment often, I must now to say thank you for your “choice of words, word play” etc. etc.. You have such an original and always entertaining way of presentation. It is always a pleasure and most appreciated. 🙂
Awww! You made my day, Robin!
I am so glad Ross, as you make my day on a regular basis through this blog. While the Cross House restoration is fascinating to follow it is your creative writing style and skill of which captivate the imagination and draw others in to follow each step with all of the angst and joy combined. Better than most books I have read lately. Your sense of humor intermingled with such descriptive details are a true joy to follow.