Look at this woddity (“wonderful oddity”) from Historic House Parts: A vintage porcelian on steel (I’m guessing) kitchen sink with one square bowl and one round bowl. Ain’t life grand? HHP says this is from “Ebco”… the sink is 38″x20″ overall, with the round bowl somewhat shallower (7.5″ D) than the square. Sounds like there are some little issues, $150. I’m calling this 1970s. Any other guesses — or folks who have spotted this one, still survived in the wild?
Fascinating! I wonder why the round side has such a large drain hole, and it is on the side rather than in the middle? Why would a shallower sink need a larger hole to drain? Maybe this was made for some special use and maybe not in a household kitchen?
Maybe the round sink was for food prep, and the bigger hole was to accommodate the garbage disposer?
The square sink seems to be the one with the odd sized (for a kitchen sink) drain. Also I’m wondering what that fourth hole on top is for? Sprayer? It’s certainly in an odd spot.
Fascinating! Love the molded in soap spot.
Well, that’s different. Looks like 6″ centers on the faucet mounts as well. I’m thinking mid to late 60′s. The problem will be the faucet. The only way to do a 6″ version anymore is a widespread……
Maybe it wasn’t for a kitchen How about a basement?
One for laundry, one for messier jobs, like rinsing out paint brushes or something? Maybe the holes were placed to make hooking them up to the plumbing easier. Also, a shallow sink may need to have water run out quicker if your are rinsing something and do not want it to overflow.
Pam-I am not sure, but I think that sink pre-dates mid-century. The only reason I say that is Historic House caters to pre and early 20th century home owners. It might be Decco or even Arts and Crafts. Back in those “Beau Arts” days innovation was craved as much as it was in the 50′s-60′s–so certainly one could make it fit in a mid-century. It may have been in a pantry? For certain, whoever used it had a specific task(s) in mind–just a thought…your web site is still my fave place, even though we bought an old victorian farmhouse. Keep up the great work!
Thank you, Michele! Interesting: Even John at deabath.com couldn’t ID it. I feel like we’ve stumped the chump. Not that John is a chump!
I’ve been digging online. I’m thinking it’s this Ebco, which would put the sink after 1930: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/09/10/story11.html
Alternatively, there’s an Ebco in Canada, too, but I’m logging off for the night.
I have one just like it in my basement. It is fully functional, with Hudee ring and all.
ooooh, send me a pic if you can, donna??
Can you do a follow-up post if Donna sends her pic, Pam? I’m really curious about this one!
opps,
It looks like the round bowl is deeper than the square one on mine.
I need to be done with my vacation days! LOL! I woke up thinking about this sink.
I’m wondering if it’s not a sink for a more commercial application than the home kitchen. Looks like the round bowl would be a handwashing sink, thus the spot for a bar of soap, and the other sink for doing things like filling pots. I’m a cook and I’ve worked in a lot of kitchens. I can easily envision this in an old kitchen somewhere like a boarding house. Or possibly as someone mentioned, in a pantry.
Maybe it was designed so you wouldn’t accidently throw the baby out with the dish-water.
good one!
Hi Pam,
I just uploaded some photos of my sink on the Retro Renovation flicker site.
It isn’t the prettiest sink, but it is still in use in the laundry room of my basement.
Hope you will take a look.
Thanks,
Donna
Pam-I have thought and thought and remembered that before 1950 something-even dish soap came in a cake or in flakes! As an old-time radio fan, I have heard the Swan soap commercials many times. So yeah it probably is a kitchen sink, but i have seen those in Butler’s pantries. They are shallow on the wash side because one was washing stemware or silver and didn’t want to ruin ones uniform…have you seen the time capsule house (online) in France? It was literally shut for 100+ years per the owners’ wishes and recently opened to the public after some repairs. It was full of “innovations” of the day and is really fun to see. Moulins, France-I think, and the BBC should have it in the archives. The push button loo is really ‘interesting’! Have you thought of ads for “Reminisce’ mag? ml
I was just on my local Craigslist looking for retro and mid century sinks and someone actually had one of these listed. Their ad claimed the 1930′s on age.
If this is truly an “Ebco” sink it stands for David A. Ebinger Mfg. Co. out of Columbus, OH. This company was founded in the early 1900′s. Here’s a link to some photos: http://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/cml_search_results.php?CISOOP1=any&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=/ohio&CISOBOX1=Ebinger
We have an old farmhouse sink made by Ebco that has one square bowl and one round. We’re going to be using it in our kitchen that we’re working on. Here’s an ad I found for the exact sink we have: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006774WPY/?tag=tiaozuan-20
I think this is a 1938 sink! Check out this link. I think this is the same sink as the picture…
http://vintageadsandbooks.com/ebco-manufacturing-company-1938-circular-wash-sinks-vintage-catalog-z257.html
Thank you, Jason! Great sleuthing!!!!