After we featured a 1963 Electro Sink Center spotted on ebay, I heard from reader Christy. She is a big fan of the original Dick Van Dyke Show and knew right away that there had been an Electro-Sink Center in Laura Petrie’s kitchen for the first few seasons. She sent a few shots from her DVDs. Woah, that is one monster faucet! Click on through for more images –>
Dear Pam,
Love the site! I read your post on the Electro Sink Center that sold recently on eBay, and I have some screen shots of Laura Petrie’s one, if you would like it still? I also have a link to a 1963 Popular Mechanics advertisement featuring the Electro-Sink Center.
All the best,
Christy
I ask: So did you watch a bunch of Dick Van Dyke episodes to get these? 🙂 Christy responds:
Actually, I already knew where they were! I love the show and have all the episodes on DVD; I think I’ve gotten close to wearing them out! I got addicted to it when i was living in Texas a few years ago (it was on Nick at Night), and when I came back home I had to have them 🙂
We have The Dick Van Dyke Show on DVD, too. It’s my DH’s favorite. We’ll have to cruise through for Electro Sink sightings ourselves. To be sure, that series is chock full of great design — not over the top, either. More: Mid century modest mashed up with modern. And somehow, the black and white makes it all the more appealing.
Thank you, Christy, this is a terrific addition to the blog and to mid century Americana lore. Alas, while you don’t have Dishmasters in the U.K., you are lucky to have fabulous 40″ cookers like this.
Jake says
I just scored some of these in the box and one display model with no box! Also a bunch of various accessories! I want to test the ice cream maker!
Alicia says
I was cleaning out a garage in an old 1947 home and came across one of these sink centers. It appears to have all the parts there and is in really good condition. Does anyone know how I would go about selling it?
Thanks!
pam kueber says
Alicia, put it on ebay. We have numerous stories about this product, I own one myself! https://retrorenovation.com/search-results/?q=electro-sink
P.S. Please don’t use any of my photos on ebay without asking permission.
Joe Felice says
I just thumbed through the Oct. ’63 issue of Popular Mechanics wherein this kitcvhen faucet center was advertised. Oh, the memories! I guess this would have been the precursor of today’s digitally-controlled kitchen. In the magazine, there were also ads for a scooter with a side car (Who knew?), a new hammer with a fiberglas handle (!), and a thing called a “staple gun.” There was also a car-to-car telephone operated by short wave! The first cell phone! Americans were so busy displaying our ingenuity and inventing things back in the ’50s & ’60s to make life easier. Some caught on, some didn’t, but there was no lack of trying, which is what we lack today. Good times back then!
Does anyone remember the “Can-Do” by Ronson? It came out in ’61. It was a hand mixer, an egg beater, a knife sharpener, and a can opener. There were different attachments that popped in at the end of it. We had one, and I thought it was the coolest thing, but didn’t keep it! I wish I had. Ronson also made butane-powered candles with adjustable flames. We had some of those, too.
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
Now THAT is scary, but in a wonderful sort of way.
hannah says
The Dick Van Dyke show has always beeen a favorite of mine. I adore old black and white movies and tv shows, as odd as it sounds there’s just something more ‘real’ about it.
We got rid of cable since buying our first house in April this year (a 1961 825sf Ranch in Maine). Even with the expensive antenna I can’t get in METV (Memorable Entertainment TV) very well. They play this show, The mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Bob Newhart show – makes me sick when it half comes in and I’m torn between watching a semi scrambled show, or turning on to something else I can actaully pick up. 🙁
I didn’t know it was on DVD – I’m definitely going to purchase it!
tammyCA says
The Dick Van Dyke show is one of my favorite shows! I grew up watching it & last Christmas finally got the first 3 seasons on DVD (gotta get the rest) – this was after not seeing it for over 25 yrs because they don’t show the re-runs out here for some reason. It is funny that I have every single episode etched in my brain anyway so to watch them on the screen now I concentrate more on the background. I now see that I have the exact same sugar bowl that they have! One of my thrift store finds a few years ago. That’s one of the great things about DVR – I can rewind and stop to see the props in my old movies.
BTW, my 8 yr. old daughter loves watching the Dick Van Dyke episodes with me – which is huge since she thinks everything else I like is “yuck”. I miss the innocence of t.v. shows & shows the whole family can watch.
Jeff says
Tammy:
Just out of curiousity, is there a maker name on the Laura Petrie sugar bowl you found? I’m slowly putting objects together in a similar fashion to the Petrie’s to create a “comfortable ” kitchen like theirs. I already have their barrel cookie jar (Treasure Craft), copper canisters (Mirro), and wood pig salt shakers (Japan).
Thanks,
Jeff R.