100s of decorative liner tiles from the 1930s to 1960s
This story started as such stories start. Reader Angela was looking for black liner tiles at a local tile shop. She started up a conversation with the salesman. Soon thereafter, he led her to the back of the warehouse where, among forlorn, dusty, spider-encrusted shelves, hid boxes and boxes — hundreds — of New Old Stock decorative liner tiles.
- (1) Decorative liner tiles from the 1930s to the 1960s here …
- and update (2) see this batch from Kathy, also a Retro Renovation reader, who also had a stash (both affiliate links) …
Both with many in volumes large enough to do an entire kitchen or bathroom. Angela had to sit down, she was so gobsmacked. But then, she got it together and slapped down her credit card and now she has them all for sale, ready to find their forever homes among grateful Retro Renovators.
Go to it, dear readers, we don’t know how many stories like this are left.
“What are liner tiles?” — some readers are asking:
- Click here to see all our stories about liner tiles — also known as “sizzle strips” or “listello tiles” here.
- See how Carolyn used them in her recent kitchen renovation.
Who could Angela tell about this momentous discovery? Us!:
Hi Pam!
I’m restoring my house and came across a HUGE stash of NOS liner tiles with various designs from the 30s-50s. I snapped them up and am about to put them up on Ebay. There are deco patterns, atomic patterns etc. LOVE THE BLOG!!!!!!
Golly, Angela, LOVE OUR READERS!!!!!! So share all the exciting deets, we all want to know exactly how you found these! Angela replies:
I was looking for black tile liners for my own 1944 bathroom. “I need solid black” I told the tile guy. “I really really want liner tiles from B&W, but they are not in the budget, so no patterns for me.” The tile guy tells me he has some I might like and takes me to a wall in the big old warehouse, covered in dust and spiderwebs (NO JOKE), and tells me these are their leftover liner tiles from the 1930 to 1960s.
I thought I would fall over. I couldn’t even talk (again no joke). I had to sit down, all before even looking in the boxes. Some are patterned and some are solid pastels. I went through every one. I sat down in the dust and looked at all of them and then, after calming down, pretty much bought them all. Hundreds of liner tiles, many wrapped in the original paper.
Because I bought hundreds of these on a whim because they were AWESOME, I have to sell them pretty quickly. This was an unplanned expense. I had to rescue these tiles! Because there are so many, I am having to do multiple trips back and forth. There are 19 listings so far, but I will be posting more.
Regards,
Angela
How to get these New Old Stock liner tiles (affiliate links):
- CLICK HERE to get to Angela’s listings for all these tiles now for sale on ebay
- and See this listing too — seems to be from the same batch — from Kathy, also a reader!
Thank you, Angela and Kathy, you rock!
Alex says
Hello,
Do you still have the black and white liners for sale? The ones that look like bow ties. [edited]
Thanks,
Alex
Pam Kueber says
Alex, click the link and contact the seller directly.
Rosemary Koch says
https://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/black-white-liner-tiles.jpg
The tiles in bathroom are like these only the colors are opposite.
In any event I am looking for approx. 10 of these tiles. Are these for sale?
pam kueber says
Hi Rosemary, unless you can find vintage (stalk ebay), I think the other possibility is to see if B&W can match it for you. See this story: https://retrorenovation.com/2015/01/14/hand-painted-liner-tiles-33-examples/
Carolyn says
At first I thought “What can you do with only a few of these (small lots) that are offered?” but setting them around the TP holder or soap dish/toothbrush holder – ? Setting them in grout as the soap dish or ring-holder? Accent the corners of the mirror?
Too cute!
pam kueber says
Of course, I want to buy, like, 2000 of them and make an entire wall!