1966 American Standard kitchen sink with egg-shaped bowls and stick shift Aquaseal faucet
Kate - Updated: August 1, 2021
Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.
Yowza — today a real treat — one of the most delicious looking vintage woddities in a while. Reader Tami spotted this amazing aqua American Standard porcelain enamel sink listed for sale on Ebay. The sink’s double not-quite-circular bowls… not-quite-square shape with not-quite-square hudee ring… luscious aqua color… and original faucet with dual built-in soap dispensers are unlike quite anything we’ve ever seen before. While basking in the beauty of this sink however, a realization hit me: How to turn on the tap? It looks like there is a… stick shift required? Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…
From the Ebay listing:
Very hard to find one of these anywhere. Double Bowl Blue Kitchen style cast iron sink with soap dispensers. This has round basin bowls as apposed to the square ones that you normally see, very unique. Kinda reminds as something that would be on the Jetsons.
–Sink dimensions & info–
American Standard Industrial Original Porcelain Cast Iron sink Set from 1966
This sink is in good condition with minor wear & tear
This sink comes with all following original & included
faucet, I have not tried it to see if it works properly or leaks. It is also marked American Standard
2 soap dispensers, one has the pickup tube broken, missing bottles (looks like a standard size bottle threads) not sure if the pumps on dispensers work.
Pam says that working this sink looks like it would require the same skill she needed to drive her dad’s stick-on-the-column Datsun pickup circa 1975.
cable pull knob with cable, does not move, maybe able to free it up or replace. I’m not sure what this was for but maybe a garbage disposer or drain closer.
Trim ring chrome, it does have some dents/bends at both ends that should be able to be straightened.
Stamped on the bottom it says 42 x 21 in. Width/Length
The sink has been lightly cleaned.
Date Stamped 4-1-1966 Also stamped American Standard & American Sanitary Louisville Made In the USA
This was the last year & one of the only years they made this style of sink branded “Standard”– In 1967,the company changed its name to American Standard Corporation.This sink was made in America back when things were made to last-This company has changed hands so many times nowadays that Made in the USA by “Standard” is now a thing of the past.
Original porcelain enamel finish has wear & tear -couple pings in dings but overall in good condition
I did find a chip in the porcelain but it is not down to the cast iron, it is on the upper right of the left bowl between the bowls.
It does have scratches and scuffs, maybe able to polish it out.
Again this was only lightly cleaned and there is some dirt/build up around the chrome ring and faucet.
Please view all photos as they are part of the description.
This sink weights probably 200-300 lbs.
American Standard Aquaseal faucet
I asked the Ebay seller if he knew more about the history of this sink, but all he could tell me was that it was originally from Iowa. With all of its built-in features, this sink must have been cutting edge back in 1966. If this sink were in my kitchen, I’m not sure I would be able to figure out how to turn on the water and adjust the temperature. The third knob on the faucet must have something to do with turning on the sink, but what function could the mystery lever serve?
Update: Thanks to reader Danita, who identified the faucet in her comment:
Yes, I have seen this type of sink before. The faucet is the American Standard Aquaseal – thanks to my husband – the plumber – who installed these types of faucets back in the 1960s. His parents had this type of kitchen faucet and contrary to what has been written, operates the same way as a normal single handle kitchen faucet. The only different is that you pull it forward instead of lifting the handle up. Push the Aquaseal handle to the left – hot, right – cold. You’d probably have to hunt around for the seats and stems, but could find and rebuild, as the faucet was one of the smoothest operating on the market at that time – better than todays!
Mega thanks to Ebay seller tomcturtle for allowing us to archive his photos of this amazing midcentury sink.
“How very Jetsons” was the first thing that came to mind. A lot of thought has gone into the design and production of this sink. (Maybe an engineer with too-much time on his hands?) Wouldn’t this make a crown jewel for someone’s kitchen? I especially love the cable pull for the drain on one side. Not sure why 2 soap dispensers are needed. And the on-off handle is was very avante garde for 1966.
Scottsays
That’s the sort of show stopper you could build your entire kitchen around. Wow.
TappanTrailerTamisays
Totally agree Scott!!! However…..I think the price is a wallet stopper for most 🙁 At least Pam has it for the archives now even if no one can or would dig up $3k for it.
Mary Elizabethsays
Tammy, I love the “wallet stopper” expression! You start to take your wallet out of your purse or pocket, look at the pricetag and say, “Whoa there!”
Kathy Murraysays
This wallet stopper would look perfect in my kitchen. It matches my 1959 aqua GE double oven and aqua diner booth. 3000$ is not my price range but I do have the perfect kitchen for it.
Kathy
Stevesays
It looks like the triangular metal plate might be a separate piece from the faucet, in which case I suppose it may be possible to retrofit a new faucet. You could just leave the stick shift thingy on the back. I think that’s the only thing that could make it a viable project. And then of course you need to find an vintage aqua wall oven and cooktop.
amypiesays
I would absolutely buy this, but can’t do the price. And if I had that much to spend on this sink, I would never, ever, ever let anyone else touch it!
pam kuebersays
I learned to drive on a truck like this.
Shift on the column. Circa 1975 Datsun compact pickup. Good times.
Lynnesays
Oh my gosh! This bay seller is in Peoria, Illinois! I live about 15 minutes from there, my folks still do! Too bad I don’t need a funky blue sink!
Petersays
My sister has an original 1960s sink with the same stick control and it works just as Mary Elizabeth guessed: forward and back for water pressure; left and right for temperature. Also agree with her that the “third knob” is likely the drain stopper.
Robin, NVsays
But if the third knob is the drain stopper, which sink does it stop? Both? Just the left? Why would you have a stopper for one side but not the other?
This thing is great but I’m fearful that the one-off faucet arrangement means that either the original faucet has to work or you’ll never find a replacement. Plus that hoodie ring is certainly a custom job. We put a hoodie ring around our new kitchen sink and my contractor was a little intimidated by it. He said he’d taken a lot of them out but never installed one. I told him he can add “hoodie ring installation” to his resume now. 🙂
pam kuebersays
Since I know you are a big supporter, be sure to promote the correct spelling, too, Robin! It’s hudee
Robin,
the cable ( if it works) controls the left side sink. The triangle thingy has two soap dispensers and the one on the right may at one time had a sink drain control too. I would rather have two controls and one soap dispenser that pivots to either sink.
Pam, I think Woddity covers this sink.
rick
pam kuebersays
yes, some designer had a heyday
Jaysays
Hmmm, my impression is that the left bowl has the stopper only for using this bowl for soaking items. Wish we knew the mfr. intent. Was it meant to be residential? To me it has a clinical/industrial feel although it probably wouldn’t be such a nice looking robin’s egg blue if that were the case.
Laurie Louisesays
I wondered the same thing, Jay. The sinks look awfully shallow for washing dishes–or maybe it’s just the angle the photos are shot from. Wherever it came from, it’s a beauty!
Michellesays
Fantastic sink but WAY WAY WAY over priced for something that isn’t even functional or tested… or even properly cleaned up.
pam kuebersays
The rare is the good. Pricing is what the market will bear. We’ll see….
Janicesays
$3000 for a sink? Seriously? I don’t care how cool it is, no sink is worth that.
But it is very cool.
Mary Elizabethsays
Good morning, Kate! What a beautiful sink! Hmm. I haven’t seen one of these before, and my expertise is limited to watching and helping my (once licensed) handyman husband replace and fix many sinks. But we can figure it out by looking at the photos.
I’m sure the “stick shift” in the back is similar to the single-control levers on more recent models of faucets. Notice the photo of the sink from the bottom has two supply lines coming from the bottom of the lever. My guess is that you move the lever right for cold water and left for hot water, which has been standard for a while. To get water flow, you would push the lever back for off and forward for on.
The cable coming from the third opening (the other two being dispensers) is likely an automatic plug. It doesn’t appear to be electrical (as you would need for a disposall) or have a supply line or hose (as you would need for a sink sprayer).
The challenge for the person buying this is that although the faucet is American made, if it doesn’t work it will be hard to get parts and hard to replace (because the base is not a standard shape today). But if someone adventurous buys it, they should also buy Kohler Cast Iron Sink Cleaner, which in my experience will get rid of scuffs and dirt in fine scratches. Getting the dirt out of the scratches makes them seem to disappear. Someone is in for a RetroReno adventure, all right. I hope it’s someone who frequents this site, as hopefully he/she will let us know how it works out and send us photos of the installation.
Yowza — today a real treat — one of the most delicious looking vintage woddities in a while. Reader Tami spotted this amazing aqua American Standard porcelain enamel sink listed for sale on Ebay. The sink’s double not-quite-circular bowls… not-quite-square shape with not-quite-square hudee ring… luscious aqua color… and original faucet with dual built-in soap dispensers are unlike quite anything we’ve ever seen before. While basking in the beauty of this sink however, a realization hit me: How to turn on the tap? It looks like there is a… stick shift required? Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines… 
From the Ebay listing:Date Stamped 4-1-1966 Also stamped American Standard & American Sanitary Louisville Made In the USA
Joe Felice says
“How very Jetsons” was the first thing that came to mind. A lot of thought has gone into the design and production of this sink. (Maybe an engineer with too-much time on his hands?) Wouldn’t this make a crown jewel for someone’s kitchen? I especially love the cable pull for the drain on one side. Not sure why 2 soap dispensers are needed. And the on-off handle is was very avante garde for 1966.
Scott says
That’s the sort of show stopper you could build your entire kitchen around. Wow.
TappanTrailerTami says
Totally agree Scott!!! However…..I think the price is a wallet stopper for most 🙁 At least Pam has it for the archives now even if no one can or would dig up $3k for it.
Mary Elizabeth says
Tammy, I love the “wallet stopper” expression! You start to take your wallet out of your purse or pocket, look at the pricetag and say, “Whoa there!”
Kathy Murray says
This wallet stopper would look perfect in my kitchen. It matches my 1959 aqua GE double oven and aqua diner booth. 3000$ is not my price range but I do have the perfect kitchen for it.
Kathy
Steve says
It looks like the triangular metal plate might be a separate piece from the faucet, in which case I suppose it may be possible to retrofit a new faucet. You could just leave the stick shift thingy on the back. I think that’s the only thing that could make it a viable project. And then of course you need to find an vintage aqua wall oven and cooktop.
amypie says
I would absolutely buy this, but can’t do the price. And if I had that much to spend on this sink, I would never, ever, ever let anyone else touch it!
pam kueber says
I learned to drive on a truck like this.
Shift on the column. Circa 1975 Datsun compact pickup. Good times.
Lynne says
Oh my gosh! This bay seller is in Peoria, Illinois! I live about 15 minutes from there, my folks still do! Too bad I don’t need a funky blue sink!
Peter says
My sister has an original 1960s sink with the same stick control and it works just as Mary Elizabeth guessed: forward and back for water pressure; left and right for temperature. Also agree with her that the “third knob” is likely the drain stopper.
Robin, NV says
But if the third knob is the drain stopper, which sink does it stop? Both? Just the left? Why would you have a stopper for one side but not the other?
This thing is great but I’m fearful that the one-off faucet arrangement means that either the original faucet has to work or you’ll never find a replacement. Plus that hoodie ring is certainly a custom job. We put a hoodie ring around our new kitchen sink and my contractor was a little intimidated by it. He said he’d taken a lot of them out but never installed one. I told him he can add “hoodie ring installation” to his resume now. 🙂
pam kueber says
Since I know you are a big supporter, be sure to promote the correct spelling, too, Robin! It’s hudee
as in: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/06/28/a-short-history-of-hudee-rings-from-the-president-of-vance-industries-including-sex-sells/
Robin, NV says
/dies of shame
pam kueber says
no! 🙂
Rick S says
Robin,
the cable ( if it works) controls the left side sink. The triangle thingy has two soap dispensers and the one on the right may at one time had a sink drain control too. I would rather have two controls and one soap dispenser that pivots to either sink.
Pam, I think Woddity covers this sink.
rick
pam kueber says
yes, some designer had a heyday
Jay says
Hmmm, my impression is that the left bowl has the stopper only for using this bowl for soaking items. Wish we knew the mfr. intent. Was it meant to be residential? To me it has a clinical/industrial feel although it probably wouldn’t be such a nice looking robin’s egg blue if that were the case.
Laurie Louise says
I wondered the same thing, Jay. The sinks look awfully shallow for washing dishes–or maybe it’s just the angle the photos are shot from. Wherever it came from, it’s a beauty!
Michelle says
Fantastic sink but WAY WAY WAY over priced for something that isn’t even functional or tested… or even properly cleaned up.
pam kueber says
The rare is the good. Pricing is what the market will bear. We’ll see….
Janice says
$3000 for a sink? Seriously? I don’t care how cool it is, no sink is worth that.
But it is very cool.
Mary Elizabeth says
Good morning, Kate! What a beautiful sink! Hmm. I haven’t seen one of these before, and my expertise is limited to watching and helping my (once licensed) handyman husband replace and fix many sinks. But we can figure it out by looking at the photos.
I’m sure the “stick shift” in the back is similar to the single-control levers on more recent models of faucets. Notice the photo of the sink from the bottom has two supply lines coming from the bottom of the lever. My guess is that you move the lever right for cold water and left for hot water, which has been standard for a while. To get water flow, you would push the lever back for off and forward for on.
The cable coming from the third opening (the other two being dispensers) is likely an automatic plug. It doesn’t appear to be electrical (as you would need for a disposall) or have a supply line or hose (as you would need for a sink sprayer).
The challenge for the person buying this is that although the faucet is American made, if it doesn’t work it will be hard to get parts and hard to replace (because the base is not a standard shape today). But if someone adventurous buys it, they should also buy Kohler Cast Iron Sink Cleaner, which in my experience will get rid of scuffs and dirt in fine scratches. Getting the dirt out of the scratches makes them seem to disappear. Someone is in for a RetroReno adventure, all right. I hope it’s someone who frequents this site, as hopefully he/she will let us know how it works out and send us photos of the installation.