Isn’t this the most strange — yet wonderful — and I bet, very rare — drainboard sink that we have ever seen? It’s the Midway sink from American Standard, and it appears to have been introduced in 1954. Oh glorious day to see one in its natural habitat in the wild. Does anyone out there have one? Has anyone out there seen one? Bueller? Bueller? Read on for 6 more wonderful mid century oddities –>
The photo appears pixelated and gray here, that’s because it was quite small, and I scanned it at high resolution. Here is more information from the advertisement:
Midway Sink: This new, island-type sink-and-cabinet combination saves steps and time. The 44″ x 37.5″ cst iron sink has two deep bowls and spacious drainboard. Exclusive new fitting permits one-hand operation. Steel cabinet opens both front and back… has electrical outlets on both sides.
Here is the American-Standard corporate information also featured in the ad page. Interesting to note that by 1954, American-Standard also owned Church (toilet) Seat and (plastic wall) Tile.
Now here’s what sounds to be a great idea to fill in space between interior wall studs in a closet: A metal recessed shoe rack.
Here is the ad from Leigh Building Products that includes the recessed shoe storage. To get to my count of 7 wonderful oddities — aka “woddities” — I’m also calling out the dust chute, the package receiver and the garbage container, which, I believe, was meant to hand in the inside of your kitchen cabinet door underneath the sink.
This Tu-Vue medicine cabinet has a door that rolls upward to open. I don’t quite understand the marketing copy. Is one of the mirrors a magnifying mirror?
Lastly, an interior heater that seems to sit recessed between wall studs — but it also telescopes to the exact wall thickness. I also find it interesting that this is “engineered for all gases.” I am accustomed to seeing heaters like this that are electric — but ones that run on natural gas or propane? I don’t get that. Bueller? Bueller?
Can you believe that I found all of these woddities in one magazine, one issue – July 1954? The postwar period, and especially the 1950s, I think, was booming with technological innovation. I love to see these wonderful oddities that clearly, did not find success in a mass market but which showcase the inventiveness in America then. And you know what — I think we are still a nation of incredible inventiveness today. Yes, I do! The headlines are all doom, gloom, controversy and confrontation, but we Americans are a hard-working and optimistic people. We make things happen and get things done with spirit.
ClaudiaD says
Wow – my 1958 house has the recessed shoe racks in all of the bedroom closets, one on each side of the closet. They’re fun and we do use them as intended.
We also have that clothes chute door in our hallway! It’s weird, because I always though the previous owners had installed it decades later – I didn’t realize it may be original to the house. Unfortunately, in our house the actual chute itself is tiny , so we don’t actually use it as a laundry chute, but it’s I’m so excited to see this.
John Hedge says
That recessed shoe rack is neat. I love stuff like that. I wish my home had cooler features built into it. I’m trying to add little touches of modern conveniences to give it a modern retro look though as I work to improve it.
The Atomic Mom says
We had a heater like the one you’ve pictured in the house I lived in from about age 3-5. I’m not sure when that house was built, perhaps, 1930s or 40s?, Anyway, the heater ran on natural gas. We’d turn it on every morning and warm up by it.
Doyle Smith says
Hi, I am a Restoration Architect. I am looking to buy (2) of these type heaters, circa 1950. They don’t have to be in working order, as they will not be hooked up to gas. The heaters are for a City historical Motel renovation. Send me an e-mail at doysmi@lakewood.org if you know where I can buy these. Thanks!
pam kueber says
Very interesting. I think this will be really tough.
Shelly in PHX says
Saw that very shoe rack at an estate sale three days ago! Such a logical invention!
Our 40-foot-long 1958 trailer has one of those heaters (fired by propane) and it works very nicely, blowing the warmed air through floor vents. At night, on the wall you can see the shadow of the flames dancing (a tad disconcerting). We had a heating guy come for an annual check-up and he freaked out! Made us sign the invoice that said he was not responsible for any malfunctioning up to and including death! (I do have THREE carbon monoxide detectors in that 400 sq feet, though…)
Urbanitra says
That Leigh Building Products ad has my mailbox on it!
Just another Pam says
I was at an estate sale not too long ago in a late 60’s house and they had a package receiver though it was mostly used for milk delivery the daughter said.
jay says
Home milk delivery hasn’t been available for decades but the milk box is still attached to the wall outside the back door. I couldn’t believe it had never been removed. Great place to stick gardening tools.
Trouble says
So….when did the round laundry chute door come out? Is it ’54 also?
Ann-Marie Meyers says
I don’t know, Trouble, but I have one in my 1962 house. I love it, and people are always commenting on it.
The house I grew up in just had a hole in the bottom of the bathroom vanity, and my 1951 Mequon, Wisconsin ranch house had a square laundry chute in the kitchen. NOT convenient for a family with two imaginative kids, a lot of Legos, Super Soakers and a cat.
We blocked it up after big brother convinced little sister to slide down to a pile of blankets on the cement basement floor. Fortunately Mommy came into the kitchen in time to stop the experiment.
Trouble says
LOL That’s awesome!
Well, my ’54 ranch has the round chute, and the ’63 ranch I grew up in did too. I was going to replace the door with a wooden square door to be period correct, but if this flyer is from ’54 and is advertising the round metal, I’m “in like Flynn”!
Elaine says
I remember my brother climbing down the clothes chute, but I believe the door was square and opened with a spring to hold it closed. He also climbed through the milk chute. Some kids are so creative. : )
Ranger Smith says
I had two of those recessed shoe racks in my house in Burbank, Ca! The house was built in 1940 and overall was a fairly basic house.
Jenny says
I would love a recessed shoe rack, or at least I love the idea of a recessed shoe rack.
Tina says
Here’s a feature I haven’t seen in years: my grandmother’s stove top had a built-in deep pot instead of a fourth burner.
Every week when we arrived at her house for Sunday dinner, she had delicious gravy simmering in it. I often wish I had a similar pot built into my stove top.
pam kueber says
Yes, Tina, I think these were fairly common back in the day. Chambers stoves have them… and I have seen them on others. The electric burner was way down in the bottom on electric stoves.
Gavin Hastings says
“Deep Well Cookers” they were called.
I would use one, but I think it cut down on the versatility of the stovetop.
ahenry72 says
We had an old Maytag like that. It was called a “Dutch oven”. You are right, Gavin, sometimes I did miss having that fourth burner. When we were using it it was just me and my husband, so most of the time it wasn’t an issue to only three burners.
It was a beautiful old stove, though!
philq says
My grandmother had an electric stove that had a “Deep Well Cooker”. It was adjustable – you could use it as a regular burner or drop it down for deep well cooking. Can’t remember the make – it was a long time ago!
Mark E says
PhilQ,
My great-aunt had one, too. Left rear burner….hers was a Monarch, circa 1955.
jay says
The stove my parents had when I was a kid was a Hotpoint electric (by GE) with the push button controls, the deep well burner and a rotisserie in the oven. The times have sure changed; features like that today would be considered luxe.