Here’s a wild wacky and wonderful vintage bathroom sink for our woddity files — this corner sink from 1959, for sale on ebay from seller nysalvage. This sink is quite similar to the 1954 Kohler Marsfield corner sink from my catalog here. Except this one has even more height, and different angles. Imagine the mold used — krazy!
From the ebay listing:
Up for your consideration is a vintage porcelain corner bath or powder room sink. The sink is dated 1959 and it is a peachy tan color.
It has a decorative stepped and curved front and a nice shelf top back.
There are a few pock marks around the faucet mounting holes and there are a few light scratches in random spots nothing that could be called an eyesore. Overall it can be considered in very good usable condition and will come with its original mounting brackets as shown in the last picture.
Measures approx: 17″ from back corner to front edge, 24″ from one side to the other, 20″ total depth, Faucet mounting holes are 1 1/2″ diameter and are 5″ apart on center, The basin is 13″ X 11 1/2″ X 5 1/2″deep up to the overflow. The drain opening is approx 1 5/8″ in diameter.
Has anyone ever seen this sink in the wild before? What a cool piece of vintage bathroom history!
Mega thanks to ebay seller nysalvage for letting us feature this fantastic vintage sink.
Link love:
- Looks like this sink would require a so-called shelf-back faucet, deabath.com our go-to source for such designs. Note: deabath.com is an advertiser on our site but this mention is not “part of the deal.”
- Some more of our research: The seven distinct styles of vintage bathroom sinks, circa 1954.
- See all our woddity (odd & wonderful = wodd) stories here.
Leta Bez-Wogen says
The Flying Nun sink!
We have yet to install our Eljer set of a Victoria Green #37 sink and toilet but the sink is very like.
https://www.automaticwasher.org/COLLECTIONS/LETA/01@Eljer%20Corner%20Sink%20in%20Victoria%20Green%20%2037@LETA.jpg
Justin says
I’ve seen corner sinks before, but not quite like this one.
A friend of mine had a small bathroom, built in the space underneath the stairs. It had a corner toilet. The tank was triangle shaped.
Karin says
Holy Streamline Moderne! It’s a work of art. Why aren’t things made like this made anymore? The future ain’t what it used to be. Sigh.
midmichigan says
I like it. But then I thought; how would you use a corner mirror? Maybe good for women applying makeup but scary for shaving.
Mary Elizabeth says
You could have two mirrors that meet in the corner. A man only shaves one side of his face at a time, right? Or you could mount a mirror directly across the corner (catty-corner) over a little triangular corner shelf.
Mary Elizabeth says
Very cute! This would be perfect for a small bath or “powder room.” (Does anyone outside Southern New England use this term for a half bath?)
Trudi says
I’m from NW Indiana and we always called them powder rooms -complete with fancy little soaps and finger tip towels!
Susan Nehama says
In the older houses in NYC they are called half baths and usually advertised that way in listings.
A full bath is considered three fixtures.
Mary Elizabeth says
A really odd phenomenon in Connecticut real estate listings, since about 2011, when I was shopping for a house. A bath with sink and toilet is a 0.5 bath; one with sink, toilet, and shower stall is a 0.7 bath; one with a sink, toilet, and tub with shower is a 1.0 bath. Very hard to figure out why one house had 2.5 baths and another 2.7!
Amber Dawn says
I’m from NC, and older people sometimes call it a powder room. Usually (I think?) that means it’s a smaller bathroom (perhaps a half-bath) or a room that’s attached to the bathroom and has a sink, but is separate from the toilet. Usually it has a vanity with a little seat which is where the lady would do her makeup, hence the term “powder room.”
I have a tiny white bathroom (circa 1948) in which somebody has installed a fairly large vanity / sink / cabinet so you have to turn sideways to get in. We’ve been looking for a teeny tiny sink, but are probably going to get it from the swamp behind my parents’ house, believe it or not. Whoever remodeled their house in the early 80’s just threw the vintage plumbing fixtures into the woods. I rediscovered them a few months ago and am waiting for the Winter so I can go pick one out. I couldn’t tell what kind of sinks they are without getting up close, but at least one has this interesting kinda octagon shape to it. https://flic.kr/p/tTCGkZ
Regarding the color of that sink…It sure is familiar!! Our master bath matches this sink (which is basically the same color as the box you type your comments in…not quite pink, but more than peach) but it has enough room for a vanity, but nowhere for a corner sink, even if it does match. Oh well!
pam kueber says
Yikes! Now that’s some dumpster diving! Be sure to let us know how it turns out!
Mary Elizabeth says
Er. . .you are waiting for winter because the swamp alligators will all be hibernating? 🙂
Becky says
Well. I need this. I have the same pinky beige bathtub (half-covered in flaky white paint because of the previous owner’s “renovation”, but I digress) and two builder-grade corner sinks in our Jack and Jill bathroom that I would love to replace with something better suited to our 1955 home. Unfortunately, I need TWO!
Mary Elizabeth says
Becky, maybe if you buy this one it will send out some Pink Bathroom Vibes to attract another one? 🙂
Karen S says
I went to an estate sale last fall. The house was MCM with original features. The half bath had beige and brown tiles and had a corner sink though I don’t remember how close it looked to the one pictured above. The sink and toilet were both beige. That’s the only time I’ve seen one in a house. I thought it was really cool.
When I mentioned it to a coworker who had grown up in the area where the estate sale was, she knew exactly what I was talking about and said neighbors had half baths with sinks like that when she was growing up.