From the category archives:

bathroom illustrations - 60s

Vintage 1960 electric bathroom heaters

by pam kueber on August 10, 2009

1960-nutone-bathroomVINTAGE WALL HEATERS, often combined with exhaust fans, are fun to find in postwar homes. Here are three models I found in a catalog from late 1960. They are from Nutone and Rangaire — and oh my goodness, those ceiling models in particular are awesomely atomic, don’t you think? Heck yeah there is more…

{ 7 comments }

Mid-century American Standard Gracelynn sink

by pam kueber on August 6, 2009

Bathroom
YES, I AM OBSESSED with this sink. I have one — in white, although I also love this icy gray — in my garage on hold for my tiny, storage-challenged master bath; I am waiting to see if the retro decorating gods also send me the vanity. Meanwhile, I have finally learned its official name: It’s the Gracelynn Cabinet-Lavatory.  The toilet: The lovely Carlyle. You know it is one of my life goals to be able to name every midcentury toilet and sink on sight. This 1960 photo is from flickr friend Java1888, click the image to go straight to his photo stream. Another flickr friend, What Makes the Pie Shops Tick, has a 1965 American-Standard catalog posted where I found the name of this much-coveted sink, and more. Final note, I believe this sink was introduced in ‘59.

{ 12 comments }

18 rare vintage Hall-Mack bathroom accessories

by pam kueber on July 26, 2009

hall-mack-towelscope

This week’s vintage Hall-Mack miniseries concludes with 18 special accessories found in my 1962 catalog. Above: The Tow’lescope (I have two MIB)  and the even more rare Extendo-Bar, which I have never seen in real life. Heck yeah there is more…

{ 11 comments }

1962-hall-mack-metropolitan-bathroom-fixtuesThis is the last of the three Hall-Mack 1962 bathroom accessories lines: The Metropolitan. This was the budget line – and I think that it was also very very popular. Click on the image once, it opens in a new window, then once again from there – it will get quite large so that you can see the detail. Sorry I can’t do a longer post today — family is visiting so it’s a three-ring circus.


{ 3 comments }

Six mid-century bathrooms, vintage 1962

by pam kueber on July 24, 2009

1962-pink-and-green-bathroomThere’s more to come in my series of vintage Hall-Mack bathroom hardware. But a pause here for some bathroom illustrations  featured in the 1962 catalog. There are some really great ideas in these six mid-century bathrooms. Above: One of our favorite sink and vanity base combos, the American-Standard introduced in 1959. I think a reader just wrote to tell me that he or she had the sink in just this color. It’s terrific. And what about that fabulous toilet. Heck yeah there is more…

{ 13 comments }

1962-hall-mack-coronado-bathroom-accessoriesHALL-MACK’S CORONADO line of bathroom accessories seems to be marketed for a long time. It is also featured prominently in this 1962 catalog, and it’s also the main line in my other catalog 1956. The line certainly seems prototypical of the postwar era — I see the shape of the end-pieces for the toilet paper and towels, in particular, everywhere. Heck yeah there is more…

{ 7 comments }

1962 Hall-Mack Aristocrome line

by pam kueber on July 22, 2009

aristocrome-towel-bar-shelfI recently nabbed a 1962 Hall-Mack bathroom accessories catalog. Seems that there were three principal lines of chrome soap dishes, towel bars, robe hooks and the like: Coronado – likely most popular; Metropolitan – budget line; and Aristocrome — the top-of-the-line suite. Today, I’ll show you the Aristocrome line. Heck yeah there is more…

{ 6 comments }

1964 time capsule gray bathroom

by pam kueber on June 5, 2009

REMEMBER the recent 1964 split level time capsule, captured at an estate sale in progress? In addition to the awesome blue bathroom, there was a gray half-bath in great condition, too. I have a real thing for laminate vanities….maybe because they can be replicated relatively easily, and because they can give you lots of retro bang for not outrageous bucks. (Case in point: Cindy’s bathroom.) This gray vanity is wonderful. And, notice the built-in drawers, also in laminate, in the wall opposite. Formica’s Dunewood looks like it might be close-enough match, Cindy used Wilsonart beigewood. Check the other makers, too. One more slide show from this vintage split level house yet to come. Includes: bomb shelter.

{ 5 comments }

A “planter top” toilet tank lid from Eljer

by pam kueber on March 31, 2009

eljer-1964-estate-toilet-planter-top

A PLANTER MOLDED RIGHT INTO A TOILET TANK LID? Well, this is a new one to me… found in this ad for a 1964 Eljer Estate toilet. And of course – LOVE it. Has anyone ever seen this? Let’s all be on the lookout. Like spotting rare and endangered species in the (retro)Amazon. Carry your cameras, readers! Heck yeah there is more…

{ 18 comments }


There definitely seemed to be this whole Roman thing going on in the early 60s. When did Spartacus come out? Vegas had Caesar’s Palace. Was everyone traveling to Italy? Heck yeah there is more…

{ 7 comments }