I have a confession to make: All these years, I have not really been reading all my vintage marketing materials much — I have been looking at the pictures and kind of scanning text. I have soaked up a lotta, for sure, but now, I have started going back and reading… trying to pick up more of the wherefore and why-to of mid century design details. Along the way, I’m also discovering more rare and fascinating things that were, apparently, tried out, but didn’t really catch on, so were abandoned. Which made me remember, above: “Dental sinks.”
This question first came up a while ago when I posted about 1940s interior decorating style. (Note the carrera glass tile and high-contrast jazz-age look: A dead giveaway that it’s 1940s.) In her comment, Laura asked:
What a great article! I have one question though … in the very last image, do you have any idea what’s up with the big sink and the little sink? I’ve never seen anything like that before … wondering if this is a house for the three bears, and Mama Bear’s sink isn’t in the picture. LOL
When I was in the first grade in Sister Mary Meda’s class at St. Christopher’s in Carlsbad, California, I won a chocolate Easter bunny in a class talent competition for my rendition, with voices, of the story of The Three Bears. I was quite proud. And ate the whole messy melting bunny at the next recess. Anyway, here is what I told Laura about Baby Bear’s sink:
Back in the day, sink manufacturers tried to promote a smaller “dental sink”. I think this may have had to do with (1) the fact there generally was only one bathroom and (2) concerns about hygiene and spreading disease.
I think that if you were to find a small sink like this — and if it were matchy-matchy with your main sink — wouldn’t it make a fantastic addition to a period bathroom recreation? A fabulous conversation starter … and hey, useful, too, especially if you only had one bathroom. Readers: Let’s keep an eye out at Re-Store and salvage places to see if we can spot one. John from deabath.com, if you are reading this, I’d love to hear if you ever come across these.
Now that I have made a big deal about actually reading my piles and piles and piles of midcentury marketing materials, I must qualify by saying that this explanation of dental sinks doesn’t come from something definitive that I found all buried away. (I remembered them as a rare feature once I started spotting other oddities in my new wave of research.) But, I did see them called ‘dental sinks’ in the brochure that featured this photo. And the rest of the stuff in my hypotheses I’ve read about some place. I think that 2011 will be the year I really start taking notes and recording my sources, I guess.
Update: Dental sinks have “flushing rims”:
Reader Jocelyn sent me a link to this 1955 American Standard advertisement — it promotes the dental lavatory (aka, sink) as helping to relieving bathroom traffic congestion in the morning. This was the era of one-bathroom households, remember. Morever: Note that the ad says the dental sink has a flushing rim. Now I really need one of these! Thanks, Jocelyn!
…And more — Deabath.com sent a link to this vintage Crane dental sink with a flushing rim — only the second they have ever seen! Thanks, deabath.com team, we love you, and not just because you are an advertiser:
Update: Second design of dental sink:
Above: Another design that we spotted! Spotted on page 21 of my 1949 Crane catalog.
Update:
Above: Here’s an American-Standard “Dentaledge” sink with flushing rim, from my 1955 catalog.
MCMeg says
I have a sink like this in our 1959 powder room, only it is a corner sink. Some of the finish has worn off (that was me developing film in college.) I’m always looking for a replacement. My neighbor put one (in very good shape, but not a corner model) in her trash and I of course snapped it up. My plumber said that you can no longer get the fixtures for it. The fixtures look just like the one in the picture. I’m holding onto the sink, though, just in case.
Kristin says
Thanks for posting this, it brings back memories!
My grandparents have a house in Germany that’s almost 100 years old, but it seems that the bathroom was updated in the 40s or 50s. The house is adorable! Exposed brick, a wrought iron spiral staircase, wood panel ceilings — I love it.
There’s only the one bathroom, and it has two LIME GREEN sinks! One normal and one little dental sink side by side.
When I lived with my them, my grandpa would always shave in the big sink, and I’d use the dental sink to brush my teeth! I was taught to use the different sinks for different things (Little sink — brushing teeth; big sink — sponge bathing, shaving, washing hands, things like that.)
I know most of the old houses there still have original fixtures like this, and it’s so great to see. I just wish I had a pictures! Next time I take a trip over there again 🙂
I’ve just stumbled across this blog today and I’m so glad I did!
Mark says
Speaking of fixtures in bathrooms, why haven’t urinals ever been installed in home bathrooms?
Friend of mine rented a house years ago that had his and hers bathrooms, and one had a urinal in it. I’ve never seen or heard of it before or since but I think it would be cool.
Gavin Hastings says
I have often thought the same thing…..Until I realised that many women think that men SIT on them!!!!
Mark says
LOL!!
Gavin Hastings says
Bath fixtures have come a long way:
The Mens Room in 1969 Fenway Park had a double sided “trough” with a 4ft high separating wall down the center. Not for the shy. : )
Boyd Leake says
I knew a family growing up that had a urinal in the “boys’ bathroom”. With four sons it made perfect sense.
Alice says
Honestly Pam. Your post is interesting, but this log of comments from your viewers just cracked me up…I just enjoyed reading everyone’s memories and reactions! What a nice break from the work week!
Jack says
A dental sink? That’s what it’s called! We have one. In our 1/2 bath in our 1952 house. It too is in the smallest bathroom ever- lets just say an airplane bathroom has more space!
Chrissie says
I found mention of a dental/ spit sink at another old house forum I belong too . Knew it looked familiar lol
http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/oldhouse/msg0814110311537.html
Vanessa Bugge says
Pam, I think I have seen one, but not in it’s original bathroom. We looked at a rental with THE smallest bathroom I think I have ever seen, there was a tiny sink (dental sink) that was across from the toilet. When I say across, I mean you can wash your hands while you are seated on the toilet, if you have baby hands. Charming eh? Well, we didn’t rent that place I think mainly because of the minuscule bathroom, although I don’t remember anything else about the house.
Kay says
Also…are those candles on that sink ledge? I thought that that was a 1990s and later *thing*.
Where can I get some of those cute towels? Love those.
Kay says
OK, maybe not a candle, perhaps a cellulose bobby pin box??? What do you all think that is??
Gavin Hastings says
I think they are talc and perfume containers.
Kay says
Could it be possible that this sink was used to care for dentures? I know that many more people had dentures/bridges/etc. 50 years ago and I seem to remember that they required brushing and soaking. I may be offbase on this but that is what came to mind- even though it doesn’t say *denture* sink.
I know at my house, I would like the sink where the kids and hubby brush their teeth to be BIGGER not smaller. I always find toothpaste on the wall, up the sides of the sink, etc.! LOL
johnny dollar says
my aunt and uncle had a tiny powder room under the stairs in their “detached rowhouse” in st. louis. the hand sink was almost certainly a dental sink as described above. sadly they don’t live there anymore so i can’t get a photo or anything.
incidentally (pun!) we are remodeling our ranch bathroom(s) and will likely put in a tiny powder room. my wife has found some (european?) hand sinks online that are very compact, not unlike these here dental sinks.
handyandy says
So, Johnny-
I have to ask: is your name in honor of the 40’s radio show, where that rascal Detective Johnny Dollar is such a genius at padding his expense account?