IMPORTANT UPDATE:
If you are the owner of an older porcelain enamel bathtub or sinks — or are considering buying one — please see my May 2, 2016 story Understanding potential lead hazards in old porcelain enamel bathtubs and sinks and ceramic tile of any age; this article focuses on raising awareness around three other potential sources of lead dust exposure in your home – old porcelain enamel bathtubs and sinks and ceramic tile of any era — and steps you can take to assess and, if required, address them. Also be aware that there can be other hazards in old products and materials, for more info see my Renovate Safe page.
If you are looking for mid-century bathroom fixtures — tubs, toilets, sinks, shower doors — the most likely places you are going to find them are on (1) your local craigslist, (2) Facebook Marketplace, or (2) your local Re-Store / Habitat for Humanity or other local salvage shop. The easiest and cheapest route is likely going to be to BUY LOCAL. You can see the stuff first-hand, so you know what you are getting, and you won’t pay shipping — you will haul your treasure away in your own car. Be sure to practice smart safety habits when buying from craigslist — see their recommendations.
One other idea that readers have been successful with: Ask the neighbors. Their houses originally had the same fixtures as yours, and they may have old ones in their basements, from previous remodels — or they may be about to remodel. Also: Watch the curb! Yes! We have had examples of readers deciding they needed, say, an old pink toilet — and a few days later they spotted on out on a neighbor’s curb waiting for the garbage truck. SERIOUSLY!
Tip: Another important reason to buy local is that you can be sure the color you are getting matches. There were many manufacturers back in the day — and their colors were all slightly different. If you buy locally, you can check the colors in person.
Also, try ebay. As interest in midcentury design has increased, more ebay pickers are listing sinks, tubs, etc. online — sometimes new old stock even!
The farther you get from home (craigslist, Re-Stores, or other local salvage places), the more expensive finding vintage bathroom fixtures is going to get. And that’s before you even have to think about shipping and crating. That’s because specialty places are likely to pick up only the best-of-the-best, and to do that, they also have overhead to cover. A few salvage places with online stock include:
There are surely other salvage places that will deal with you online — start searching!
Cynthia says
We’ve found an amazing matched suite (tub, sink, toilet) by American Standard in Manchu Yellow, pristine condition. They’re going into a 100+ year old house and our style is more 30’s & 40’s, but I just couldn’t pass up this set … $120 at Habitat for Humanity!!! So …. I’m thinking white hex tile floors, white subway tile around the tub, white beadboard wainscoting with pale dove grey walls above and porcelain art deco sconces.
My hope is that we can get the feel of the 40’s with this set from the 60’s. My fear is that it’ll look like an odd mash up of periods and styles. I’ve found lots of folks who update the look around these fixtures, but we’re trying to backdate. Any ideas? Many thanks!!
Jean Gough says
I think your color idea is great, but I am not sure about mixing the eras. My last house was 1920 vintage and we put in a beautiful fireplace mantle from a house built around 1890/1900 and it always bothered me. Good luck in your decision!
Mary Elizabeth says
My husband and I have this discussion all the time while renovating. We have a 1950s ranch with a brand new addition that looks like the 1960’s architecturally, except for our furniture, which is a mixture of mid-century modern and early 20th century. When taking tours of old houses, such as in Sturbridge Village, Strawberry Banke, etc., you will see houses that have both furniture and architectural features popular before and after the house was built. Since the founding of the country, eople have always added on and built new features into their houses. Just because you like aspects of mid-century modern, it doesn’t mean you can’t have anything else mixed in with it, as long as it is your taste and you have an eye for the overall effect in terms of proportion, mood and color. Now, if we were building a set for a movie that took place in the 1950’s or 1960’s, we’d have to be careful of the detail. As it is, though, we are real people living in real houses,not actors on a set. That’s how I think of it. The people who build the 1920’s house might have put the turn of the century mantel in it anyway!
Scoring a lavender toilet and driving through three states to pick it up–now that makes you and your hubby my RetroRen heroes!
Cynthia says
Wow, thanks for all the great feedback! I’ll send pix when the deed is done 🙂
pam kueber says
In the 1920s, color was “anything goes”.
Mary Elizabeth says
Latest exciting finds for people living in Southern New England: In our search for a Venetian Pink drop-in sink, Darling Hubby and I did go to visit the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Salem Connecticut (we live not far from there) and EcoBuilding Bargains Store in Springfield, Massachusetts (a day trip) during the last week of February. We did not find what we were looking for, but the Re-Store in Salem had a gorgeous set of mid-century modern bookcase/storage units in a light plywood that I would have bought if I did not already have all the bookcases I need and can fit in my mid-century modest ranch.
On a few days later to Springfield EcoBuilding Bargains, where there were a number of retro plumbing things–including NOS and used vintage pink sinks, but not in the right color for us. They also had a beautiful, huge, brand new Anderson window designed to go in the roof peak if you have cathedral ceilings in your house and need more light and a good quality glass. When we asked about the possibilities of more sinks coming in, one of the workers there gave us a great tip–he said to come into salvage stores during late March and April when construction and renovation will begin anew in the good weather and a lot more product comes into the store. As Pam knows, you can go online and find out their number and e-mail address.
Our own personal good news may translate to a new resource for mid-century bathroom renovators. On a whim after a dentist appointment, we went to White’s Plumbing Supply in West Haven, CT, a go-to place for Southern New England where we have bought a lot of new stuff for our renovations in our old condo and new (to us) ranch. (Go on line and find their address, etc. and the story of their still family-run business.) As we walked to the back of the showroom waiting for a sales person, TA-DA! Right on the wall was a discontinued 1990s new Gerber Venetian Pink (Bahama Pink) drop in oval sink for our soon-to-be-built custom vanity in our 1950s bathroom! We inquired, and after some checking in the stockroom, etc., we were told it was the very last oval one, but they had several in the round style. Dearest Hubby negotiated well to get them to take it off the wall and sell it to us (“Why display it when you have no stock?”) and usually meek me suggested since it was the last and we were taking it off their hands, could they knock a few bucks off? We ended up paying half what I could have bought it for on line from Gerber, if you count the shipping. We could hardly wait to get it home!
Why this is good news for the rest of you is that there are all those round Venetian pink sinks if you want them and other treasures there we didn’t need or want but you might. They have several toilets in Venetian pink, a nice sky blue, and gold. We decided to stay with our white toilet, because it is the higher type with the elongated seat, and we just bought a new custom-colored pink Bemis seat for it. The models at White’s were standard height and round front.They have the Bemis toilet seats in every color of the rainbow. And somewhere in back is a whole Venetian pink tub, toilet, and sink from when Grandfather White moved his store from one location to another and took this set out of the window. We asked grandson Steve White if he would consider selling the set, and he said he wasn’t sure, it’s kind of an oddity and an heirloom. We didn’t press, as we are keeping our 1959 tub, but If you are a good negotiator, you might be able to get him to sell it to you. They are very nice folks, in the business all their lives, and we can say that because we aren’t related to them, just former customers.
pam kueber says
WOAH. I *wish* I had my bathrooms to do all over again. Thanks for the fresh field report, Mary Elizabeth!!! Send me pics when your bathroom is complete!!!
Michelle says
I live near Orlando Florida. I’m remodeling our 1950’s home. They have their original sinks, tubs & toilets still. One pepto pink and black motif and the other that yellow color. We want to upgrade. Where can I sell these near me other than Craigslist?
pam kueber says
Read the story backwards for our tips.
Nikki says
Hi. Hoping someone can share some advice.
We are remodeling our kitchen retro-fab-style and have an old sink from years back that would fit perfectly. It’s cast iron with the standard porcelain finish but the porcelain is cracked in some places and there is rust all along the perimeter of the sink. I have not heard good things about reglazing as the results are temporary so I’m wondering what are my options? Just live with the as-is condition of the sink if I want to use it, or find an old porcelain sink in better condition, or???
Any advice all your Retro Experts can share is most appreciated!
pam kueber says
Nikki, I have some stories on this — see Kitchens/Sinks category. Short answer: Difficult. Get new or new/old sink.
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
Definitely, definitely the thing to do if the normal channels don’t work is to contact your local kitchen and bath remodelers. They’re tearing out these beauties often. Tell them you’ll pay them when they find something for you.
Whenever I need something and want to get it cheap or free, I always ask myself, “Who has it, but doesn’t want it?” I’ve scored all kinds of goodies by answering this question. It works for many, many situations, from getting free umbrellas (answer: lost and founds, especially at hotels), to free carpet (Who has pieces big enough for a home office? Answer: commercial carpeter layers, for whom a remnant would be a pretty big piece).
I expect the same thing will work for getting vintage fixtures.
Erin says
My husband and I bought a light blue vintage sink and tub for our upstairs bathroom, but found out the toilet had been broken. We don’t know the brand, so I have no idea where to start on finding a color match! Any ideas? I can send a pic of the sink– it’s pretty distinctive….
pam kueber says
Erin, deabath.com might be able to identify them for you and find you a matching toilet. good luck, pam
Jean says
Hi Pam,
I am looking for a lavender toilet from the 1960s to replace mine that cannot be fixed. I searched American Standard and the like to see if they may possibly offer the color in a new one, but alas, the color is a thing of the past!!!
Any advice?
Jean
pam kueber says
Jean, this story is about where to find sinks, but the same advice applies to toilets. Lavendar = a very difficult color, I think. But be a good and humble servant and the RDG’s (Retro Decorating Gods) will send you what you need: https://retrorenovation.com/2010/11/02/where-to-find-vintage-bathroom-sinks/
Jason says
So, if you have a tub/shower area in really good condition, but want to change the color, what other alternative is there, other than reglazing it? I mean, the expense and demo involved just to change a tub? Could you please describe the bad things you have heard or experienced about reglazing? Thanks
pam kueber says
Jason, I have not personally *heard* good things about the durability of reglazing. That said, the technology is likely always changing…and I am not an expert on this…
Sean says
Hi Jason. I am a reglazer in MA and I believe that, if done correctly, reglazing is a durable, cost-effective option to replacing a tub. You can save up to 80% by reglazing. You’re going to hear horror stories about any business, including reglazers. But we have hundreds of satisfied clients. We have refinished tubs and tile in people’s homes, as well as clawfoot tubs and vintage sinks with great results.
The primer we use is the same product used to prime Air Force jets. So it’s very strong stuff. As Pam states, the technology is constantly improving. But reglazing is sometimes more art than science. Improper application of even the best products can lead to problems. Hopefully you’ll consider giving a reglazer in your area a chance.
LRE King says
Gerson’s, in Tucson, has a wide selection of vintage colored toilets, some sinks, and a few bathtubs. I bought an aqua toilet there five years ago; finally got a sink to match earlier this year.
Esmeralda says
Gersons is awesome for lots of vintage midcentury fixtures. I am looking for an entire ming green bath set to include an apron bathroom sink all American standard if anyone can help!
Kelly says
My aunt has some 1978 bright pea green linoleum, similar to those tiles, on her floor in her dining room and kitchen, mint condition, I swear I’ve never seen linoleum in the superb condition it’s in after 31 years of daily use but she managed to pull it off (with 3 boys to top it off!)