So exciting — the biggest discovery of the year, I am pretty sure, and it’s only February: Thanks to reader Sarah for prompting me to contact Ceco Sinks. This company manufacturers porcelain enamel on cast iron plumbing fixtures — and they offer FIVE designs of metal rimmed porcelain on cast iron kitchen sinks — in both single- and double-bowl styles.
- Ceco also offers two metal-rimmed bathroom sinks that accommodate 8″ faucet spreads — the only source for this configuration that we know of. Also super important info!
This is big news for Retro Renovators who, previously, thought they were limited to Kohler’s single design selection. Above: Seaside single bowl, metal-rim kitchen sink – porcelain enamel on cast iron, from Ceco sinks. Continue reading to see the other four designs!
Above: San Clemente metal-rim, double bowl kitchen sink.
Above: Zuma high-lo hudee ring kitchen sink
Note: The three designs above — all with integral ledges with holes drilled to hold a faucet — are probably the best choices for Retro Renovator doing a period style kitchen from the 1950s on.
That said, if you have an earlier kitchen, putting a hudee rimmed porcelain sink under a wall-mount faucet also would be appropriate. Yay, Ceco also has some sinks to work in this configuration:
Above: Little Corona — Several model numbers shown, check with Ceco to understand which to choose for your use.
Above: The #732 (no name) can be installed with a hudee ring, the company told me.
Above: And the #732 (no name) also can take a hudee.
Where to buy a Ceco sink
Ceco Sinks does not sell directly to the public — they are a wholesaler. To order one of their sinks, try a local plumbing supply store (not a big box store, though) to see if they can order the sink for you. If you have any trouble, call the company, and they can direct you to the nearest regional distributor.
The company tells me their prices are competitive with — maybe even 10-15% less than –Kohler, as one example. However, depending on how close you are to a distributor, shipping charges may be required, which would affect the total price.
The sinks come in six neutral colors — white, biscuit, almond, bone, platinum (similar to Kohler’s ice grey) and black.
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If I had known these were available, I might not have replaced my old stainless steel sink with another one. A cast iron enamel sink would be beautiful in my kitchen, and now that I have discovered the Kohler Cast Iron Sink Cleaner, I wouldn’t be so worried about stains from foods and minerals in the water. That being said, I think my stainless sink was original to the house, as was the laminate countertop it was set into. I seem to remember that stainless sinks were not unheard of in the 1950s but were considered “high end.”
I do have a cast iron double sink with Hudee ring in my “summer kitchen” in the basement, along with a working Caloric range. The basement sink, however, is much larger than the kitchen sink, so I know it never would have fit in the kitchen. Everything down there is large, such as cabinets meant to hold large pots, like canning supplies. The only thing wrong with my basement sink is that people were not careful to clean paint and things off it right away, so it’s stained.
Mary Elizabeth,
Your sink could very well have been original. My grandma’s farm kitchen (former summer kitchen/porch) was remodeled about 1945. She waited months for her stainless steel sink due to the War shortages. She told me how she loved it when it was first put in but h—ed the “scratches” at first until it was a couple years old and started looking better and better. The sink is still there.
I am sure rural Wisconsin was not on the cutting edge of a new trend.
rick
Rick, thanks for that story! I can just imagine your grandmother’s long-anticipated and finally well-worn and well-loved sink. My house is in a small town in rural Connecticut, and we’ve never been known for being “cutting edge” anything.
Well, slap me with a wet noodle. Was just looking again at the Merillat article on Feb. 11 on this site, and even though the sink in the yellow kitchen was white enamel, lo and behold, the ad titled “Where’s the catch?” featured a double stainless sink just like the one that was in my house. Not sure about the date of the add, but I would say late fifties. That’s when housewives wore shirtwaist dresses, a string of beads and high heels to work in the kitchen. At least according to the Mad Men. 🙂 Don’t know if it’s really true, because my mom, grandmother, and great grandmother all had jobs outside the home–teacher, real estate agent, and artist working for a greeting card company. And they kicked off those heels as soon as they got home.
For what it’s worth I’ve been finding the Kohler sink so far to never need anything stronger than a micro-dot of dishwashing liquid and a quick pass with a dish rag to make it shiny bright. I think a new sink that never gets exposed to harsh cleaners or abrasives is going to last as long as you want it to.
Agreed! Keep the abrasive and acidic cleansers OFF. Only use the recommended cleaners!
I bought the sink in the second to last photo about 12 years ago when I bought my house. It’s a 1907 craftsman but the kitchen was remodeled in the 50’s. The sink is gorgeous, and still is (I tiled it in) . I am in Los Angeles and ordered the sink at a local hardware store and was able to pick it up at the (old) factory location in LA. At the time I was told that they still made and hand finished the sinks the same way they have since they started making them in 20’s.
The only thing better would be if they offered them in turquoise and pink!
And buttercup yellow, poppy red and sage green!
Hi Pam, I really would like to get the single bowl “Ledger Type” sink. But the link doe not take me to it on the Ceco site. Then takes me right to the bathroom sink. When I go to the site I try searching and can not find it. I also can not seem to print any of this information off of your site so I can take it to a supply house. It just prints blank pages. Can you help? David
David, use the navigation at the top of the Ceco site….
I was really excited by this post as we just missed being able to order the Kohler version a few years back (it was discontinued). I called around to local supply houses and just finally called Ceco directly. The manufacturer who supplies their metal rings has discontinued the one that fits that sink. It’s an enameled cast iron and the rings aren’t big enough to make a good seal. The sink is still available, but not with a hudee ring. 🙁 The search for a hudee ring kitchen sink continues…
Yikes, I am just about to buy one of these. I contacted Ceco and they put me in touch with Ramapo Supply in Hackensack NJ. They have the white and biscuit in stock. He said the ring was not in stock but he could order it. They are about an 8 hour drive from my house in Pittsburgh! So I will call them back tomorrow and ask more about the ring. How would the sink stay in place without the ring? Price wise they quoted a price of $337 for the sink and $72 for the ring. David
See my story on Vance Industries — they told me that they can make hudees in any size. Use the Search box.
I am in the same situation. My 1950 kitchen drain sprung a leak, and while I was plumbing, decided to install a new sink and faucet (photos available). Currently have the ‘rimless’ or ’tile-in’ type with the metal ring. The exact replacement is the Kohler Delafield, which Lowes discounts 1/3 off Mfg retail price. Looks like it will be $303 for the sink and $57 for the trim ring, not terribly much more than a standard cast iron model that goes for $299. This is a current model on the Kohler website and my store seems to think no difficulty in ordering it. Model is K5950-4 (4 hole top is all that is made) and the metal frame is K6601. Hope this helps.
Might I add, in my case, an exact replacement size is called for as the opening is precisely awkward32x21, and that is with carving a bit of the sides out of the cabinet support. The standard opening in modern kitchen sinks is 33×22! In order to not reconfigure my cabinets, which would necessitate losing my red Moonglo Formica, and save a whole lot of money, I’ve decided to just replace with like kind. Nice to know that Hudee offers so many different styles still for the retro remodeler!
I am looking for a stainless steel kitchen sink with hudee ring, 32×21
Verna, you need to contact Vance Industries, profiled and linked to in the story — good luck!
I just purchased a Ceco ‘Little Corona’ model #720 sink and found out that sizes A through E have been discontinued. On top of that, they are only producing white sinks, even though the literature says that they have several colors. I got mine in Biscuit, but was told it was the last one on the rack at the factory. The Hudee rings are available but sold separately, so make sure you ask for one.
I suppose that some of the discontinued lines are still out there sitting on a local plumbing supply house shelf, but more and more supply houses are not carrying the stock locally. I was originally looking for a smaller size in a color other than white but failed. I settled for a larger size that I am going to shoe horn into my cabinets. I’m just happy I was able to get it in Biscuit.
I just spoke to Ceco and he was telling me that the 751 has been discontinued for about 8 years now. He said the only one that can still be ordered with a ring are the two compartment ones. And he wasn’t able to help me with any stockists that still might carry some of the discontinued models.
ugh. I am pretty sure I checked this at the time I wrote it. They also have a new website (all the old links are not fixed) on which they have not yet put the metal-rimmed sinks (as far as I can tell).
ugh
where can I purchase a san clemente metal rim double bowl kitchen sink?
Denise, Click on the link in the story for Ceco Sinks to go to their website.
Hi Denise, contact the company that makes the sinks — Ceco. They are hotlinked in this story in bright blue.