How old is this metal kitchen sink base? Emily writes in…
She writes:
I have a coppertone cabinet-sink combo thing that looks like it dates from when our house was built: 1954. Its kind of half-cabinets half-sink — I know nothing about this stuff. Is there someone who specializes in this that I could email a picture to identify it?
Thanks so much. The lady who owned the home before us obviously loved every millimeter of it and took loving care of this in particular. I’m not sure that this is a keeper for us, but I would like to know more about it.
Emily: I think this is a relic of the late 60s or early 70s. Remember harvest gold and avocado green? This color – an earthy, coppertone brown – went hand-in-hand along with them. This piece is amazing to see. At first I got the heebeejeebees (the 70s were not my best years) but blink! and I was over it. LOVE IT! Work with it, girl – you can have some amazing decorating fun with this! And it’s been cared for – hurray. Toss it out and I assure you — in 10 years, you will regret it. Deeply.
If you want to know more about vintage steel kitchen cabinets, Emily, you are now in the right place. Go to the Steel Kitchen Cabinets Category and read on. Also, see the Forum – the internet’s sole spot to buy and sell vintage metal cabinets – 60+ brands identified to date!
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I would guess late 1950’s. We have a “built in” stove top and wall “built in oven” in the same brown, and I know it was installed sometime between 1954 and 1959. (and our cabinets were originally painted that aqua color Pam’s are, and installed at the same time the brown built in appliances were). And steel cabinets in general quit being made in the early 1960’s, as far as I know. So I’d guess 1958ish, probably. Maybe give or take 2 or 3 years either way.
My Kenmore dryer is this color, and it was purchased new by my Dad’s aunt and uncle in 1969 (I have the paperwork somewhere). I know that it was a popular color in the late 60’s and into the 70’s.
After looking closely at the picture you provided, I might add that I believe that the third drawer down on the right and the top drawer need to be switched. Do you see the dark brown at the top of the third drawer down? That should be at the top of the cabinet (the top of the doors are darker brown, like to top of this drawer).
I have no answers, but I love it. And if you work with it and incorporate it well, it will be the centerpiece of your kitchen. I think people are getting a little tired of the cookie-cutter kitchens with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and travertine floors (I blame HGTV.) Copper is huge now, so you should be able to work it right in. Send in pics – we’ll help!
I have a red metal sink and I absolutely love using it! Every time I’m cooking I think about how nice it is to set hot things to either side of the sink until they cool or like tonight I was making enchiladas and was able to put the sauce right from the stove to the side of the sink to assemble them. I keep a red dish drainer to the right at all times and the groves on either side of the sink are very handy to just wipe down. I didn’t like it at first because it was odd, old and different but it has really grown on me. I think too of all the women who have stood at that sink and visited while doing dishes (house was in a family with “his, hers, and ours” type of family and I have people who knew them remember the kitchen and the red sink. Mine has two bowls and no front doors. Alas, I made a 50’s patterned curtain for it. Your sink would be great in a utility room too.
Oh and 1 more thing. You can shine it up with turtle wax like you put on your car. Will really look nice. You can use it on any appliance and I suppose even metal cabinets could be refreshed this way.
Missouri Michael: You are absolutely right! The third drawer down needs to go straight to the top!
And Sara – yes, turtle wax works great. See this post here on how using a fine auto body compound first also will aid in the clean-up process.
I have to agree with Pam and Michael – late 1960’s to early 70’s. My Kenmore rangetop and oven are in this color, and they were installed in about 1970 when the previous owners moved in. The drawer pulls on your cabinet also “read” late 1960’s to me.
I grew up in a home that was built in 1958. This brown color must have been popular then, because all our kitchen appliances were this color. I lived through the 70’s and do not remember brown being a popular choice, although other earth tones abounded.
I had a gas fernace in my old house that looked EXACTLY the same color and stlye shadeing in the paint as your sink. It would have matched perfectly. It was a Siegler and it was made in 1947. Hope that helps
My guess from both the color/styling would date this late 50’s early sixties. My grandparents ‘59 tri-level had the oven, range, and vent hood of this style and color. I also have a stove that color that is from the early/mid sixties.
This is the original color of my oven, cooktop and ventahood…built in 1962. and the “stickshift” faucet is identical to the original one over my sink. Our neighborhood had a lot of these, along with an early avocado that was two-tone like this.
We moved into a brand new apartment complex (in Martinsburg, W. Va.) in 1965—the applicance were all this same copper color.
arkyguy – lucky you! I love this color!!! send pics – pam at retrorenovation dot com!
My mom has this same sink and cabinet base, except hers has a double sink. I absolutely love it, and want it in my house one of these days. I can’t find a manufacturers tag in hers, does anyone know what brand they are?
here’s a link with a vintage advertisement for this sink.
http://retrorenovation.com/2009/04/23/vintagec-40s-and-50s-kitchen-drainboard-sinks/