Is it a tub? Is it a shower base? YES. I went to an estate sale last Thursday. A lovely, rambling mid century colonial-ranch… all picket-fence Americana-like… quite sweet. The two bathrooms upstairs were pastel delights — but the real prize was a small bathtub / shower receptor. I have seen these small tubs in old marketing materials, for example, in this 1949 Crane bathroom fixture catalog. In my experience, they are harder to spot in the wild.
Alice’s little bathtub — which I originally called a “Cinderella bathtub” — she called it her “little lady’s tub — looks to fit in the category of receptor tub as well. Hey, read on — Alice’s looks like a Neuvogue to me!
Why such a small bathtub? This seems to me to be a terrific idea if you don’t have much space… if adults prefer to shower… but there still needs to be a bathtub for a child.
The Crane brochure explains:
Requiring minimum space for installation, the Lahoma bath provides facilities for feet, sponge or shower bathing.
The Lahoma tub in the brochure measured 42″ wide by 31″ to the wall and was 12″ deep. It even had a little seat. A “mini Cinderella” bathtub!
Above: A second bathtub in the 1949 Crane catalog was also billed as a receptor tub. The Neuvogue‘s proportions — 48″ across, 41″ to the wall — were more “Cinderella bathtub”-like. It is billed as having enough space for real bathing (for an adult, presumably).
At the time I originally published this story in 2013, the Kohler Mayflower was still for sale — it had the receptor look, its measurements were 48″ x 44″. It is now discontinued:
As I recall, Eljer (I *think*) still offered a receptor bathtub until the early(ish) 2000s. But then it disappeared.
This story gets filed under Bathrooms/Tubs, Bathrooms/Shower Bases and Woddities, all three!
UPDATE: Read this story — Understanding potential lead hazards in old porcelain enamel bathtubs and sinks and ceramic tile of any age — which raises awareness regarding the potential for lead dust exposure from old tubs and sinks and ceramic tile of any age. Get with your own properly licensed professional to assess your own situation regarding this and other potential hazards in old homes and materials. Be Safe / Renovate Safe.
Jane / MulchMaid says
I’m in love with these! if I could find an old one, it would be in my main bath in a nanosecond!
Megan says
Aha, so that’s what it’s called! We have a gray receptor tub in our yellow+gray (1957) master bath that I love. It let the builders put two full baths in our house, which is great for guests (or kids if you have them). The only awkward part about our tub is finding shower curtain liners. The tub is a modern stall width but doesn’t go down to the floor like modern stalls do.
lynda says
You could make one. Decorator fabrics are usually 54-60″ wide and that would make a perfect width. Buttonholes would work for the curtain rings. You could use a nylon liner and just cut off some of the width and make sure the holes match up with the buttonholes on the fabric curtain.
Mary Elizabeth says
Good advice. Cutting down a standard liner (with pinking shears) and the cloth shower curtain (with a new side hem) is exactly what I did with the shower receptor in my 1982 camp trailer. (It came with an accordion plastic door that harbored mildew and bumped elbows.) And I used to bathe my little granddaughter in the tiny tub when she was about four. She was delighted with it and exclaimed, “Just the right size for me!”
lynda says
Lately Premier Prints has been my favorite decorating fabric. I like the prints and the weight of the fabric.
Brian T says
I recently went on a neighborhood tour of homes in Lexington KY that included a four-story apartment building from the first half of the 20th century. The building has seen many incarnations; currently it’s condos and apartments, several of them only one room with incredibly tiny kitchens and bathrooms. We saw at least five bathrooms with tubs like this or a little longer — not long enough to sit in and stretch your legs out. Can’t say that I see any advantages over a full-size tub. The effect was “We are cutting every possible corner to provide the bare minimum that can be described as a tub.” I found myself thinking “This looks like apartments designed to house people who have just gotten out of prison.” At the same time, there was a monastic appeal — just stick me in one of those studios with an iPod and a Kindle …
Terrri Polick says
I’ve never seen anything like that before. It functional and kid friendly, and I love pink in older bathrooms. Thanks for posting your pictures.
Chad says
It’s funny that they’re marketed (rightly) as a solution for small spaces, but the image shows it installed in a huge bathroom… some things never change!
Robin, NV says
Hah! I noticed that too. But I guess having the smaller tub allowed them to include the linen cupboard.
Pamela says
I know where one is here in North Little Rock. It is in a Realtor School on JFK. I told him that the tub was a collector’s item and he laughed. It was white however, if memory serves me. I see so many people destroy pink bathrooms and think they are being soooo creative and updated. When I told them I sold an old chocolate brown Kohler toilet for $135.00 they think I’m fooling. Geeeeesh….
Mike says
Toilets, even if they are brown, should never be described as “chocolate”.
Mary says
The military housing my husband and I lived in in Hawaii had one of these, except it was even smaller, maybe 36″ wide? It makes sense if the adults typically shower, but need a tub for bathing small children.
Debra says
Love this idea so much! It should be recycled into todays smaller new construction homes. PERFECT!
Party says
Less likely to splash water on the floor than some showers. Probably roomier than some, too.
lynda says
I think a small tub/shower area would be great for some small baths. That size would be big enough for bathing a child, yet big enough for a shower space. We used the Kohler Greek soaking tub for a small bath. It is only 48″ long. Since it is a drop-in tub, you do have to have enough space to build a knee wall for the front of the tub to sit on. (we tiled the front wall) I think Kohler sells special flashing and membrane to use with the tile walls surrounding the tub so it can be used as a shower. The tub is a little deep for bathing a really small child, but fine for an older child.
American Standard makes a 4′ steel tub, the Huron. I know the major manufacturers make a 54″ tub too.