When these rare(ish) vintage bathroom sinks show up in old advertisements or actual bathrooms, I often get questions about them. What are they, exactly, and how are they installed? Some answers…
The photo above, from deabath.com, is, specifically, a:
- 1960’s Case Apron Front Hudee ring sink
From our look back at all the names for “yellow” and designs from various manufacturers over the years. 1962 American-Standard catalog image: Building Heritage Library
I was intrigued by it in particular because it has that original metal hudee rim. I don’t recall seeing these very often “in the wild,” and it’s amazing someone actually saved that rim when they took this one out!
- Refresher: What is a hudee ring exactly? See all our stories — we are hudee-central!.
From Susan’s Jack ‘n Jill bathroom way early days o’ the blog!
So: This style of bathroom sink is called an apron-front bathroom sink (just like all the apron-front kitchen farmhouse sinks so popular today). On wall-hung sinks including those with chrome legs, the part you lean up against to brush your teeth — that’s also called the apron.
“Apron-front”: because the front edge of the sink hangs over the cabinetry below, ala the photo above.
Apron-front sinks could be either hudee-rimmed or tiled-in. I asked my go-to expert at deabath.com, John, some questions re the sink with hudee that he has for sale:
Q: Do you think this was meant to go on a laminate countertop — or on a tile countertop?
John: Definitely this sink would have been in a laminate countertop. Tile-in applications don’t use a Hudee ring.
Also from wee early days: Jane’s pink bathroom remodel
Tiled-in American Standard sinks from our story on the history of the color blue in bathroom fixtures. From that same 1962 catalog in the Building Heritage Library. 1962 must have been a year for tiling in!
Q: If you don’t use the hudee, is the sink then tile-in? That is: Was there one design — either use without hudee and tile it in, or use hudee and use it with laminate?
John: Yes, there is a difference, at least in Crane. The tile-in sinks were a bit thicker where the tile would butt up to the sink. The Hudee ring versions were slightly thinner. That being said, I’ve seen Hudee ring sinks being tiled…
Q. Okay, so I understand they are tiled-in or hudee-finished. But how do they attach to the substrate? Held in place with clips?
John: The tile-in ones are set directly in the mortar on top of ply or whatever the counter in made of. Hudee ring sinks use clips to hold the sink to the ring, and the ring sets on the Formica/ laminate.
Thanks, John — you rock my world!
The one thing I’d add about the hudee-ring installation: If you want this look — that is, apron-front sink with hudee to drop into a laminate countertop — be sure to get the hudee with your vintage sink. While we do have a source for made-new hudee rings, including made-to-order, I can’t imagine it will be cheaper or easier than getting the original with.
Link love: See all of deabath.com’s vintage bathroom and other wares here. Oh, and I see they have more vintage apron-front bathroom sinks, in plain ole white — here.
They are also vintage Crane experts — my go-to place to send folks with questions about that brand and, well, pretty much all others too.
Real porcelain enamel coating to restore your drainboard sink, tub or stove 
Five vintage Lavanette “Vanette” bathroom vanities — oh my, fantastic! 
Colorful vintage bathroom sinks from Match My Tile 
Announcing 7 new boomerang laminates — “Retro Renovation® by Wilsonart” — woot! 
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KStacey says
I am building a vanity for one of these. Found a ming green American Standard version and have been looking EVERYWHERE for a 3/4 hudee ring to mount it ‘properly’. Vance was the first place I contacted, and they don’t make these. I even sent them pictures, so sad. I did find some tile to mount it that way, which will be almost as awesome. But if anybody has any other 411 on scoring one of those, I would buy it in a heartbeat!
Pam Kueber says
Contact deabath and see what they say!
KStacey says
They responded quickly, great customer service! Unfortunately they also do not make or sell hudee rings, and referred me to Vance.
I was actually wondering if maybe the kind that goes around three sides has a different name. It’s not a ‘ring’ after all. For all I know I should be searching for a ‘whatsit-band’! Ha!
Pam Kueber says
It’s still a style of hudee… Alas, I think you are looking for a hudee in a haystack!
Dan says
Here is my “Heloise” tip – if you use an electric toothbrush with interchangeable heads, save some of the old heads and use them with the toothbrush to clean around your hudee rings and faucets.
Susan Halla says
Oh, I used to love Heloise! Thanks for the blast from the past.
Susan says
Ok – hopefully someone can help me. I have a 1960s home with the original kitchen sink and laminate counter, all in great condition. The sink has a hundee ring. Well, I have the hardest time keeping that darn thing clean! Gunk seems to grow under in on the sink side of the ring. I also remember my mom having problems in the house I grew up in. What can I do short of replacing the sink/ring? What to use to keep it clean?
Paul- CT says
That is the exact reason why I ditched the hudee ring sinks in my bathrooms! They are a pain to keep clean and they act like a petri dish!
If you ever think of replacing the sinks, Pam did a story a few years back on what I did. Now on their 4th year they still look like new!
https://retrorenovation.com/2015/06/02/paint-bathroom-sinks-any-color/
Mary Elizabeth says
The person who sold us our 1959 ranch said her mother used to scrub around the hudee ring (in the basement summer kitchen) and the chrome counter trim with a combination of bleach and water on a toothbrush. The bleach did, however, take a toll on the laminate countertops.
Paul-CT says
We used Comet cleanser and a tooth brush!! Big no-no according to Pam!
Pam Kueber says
Not according to me per se — but to Kohler when I did that story on cleaning cast iron! Note, though, that these sinks are china. I’ve never done a story on cleaning china. That said: I would think: Stay away from abrasives.
Hannah says
I renovated a tiny 20sq ft half bath a few years ago, using this style sink w/ matching toilet from American Standard, stamped 1957. It was definitely a challenge figuring out how to mount the sink (the things you forget to consider in an hours-from-home salvage yard). At the time, I had been following Kate’s pink bathrm build, and was interested in a laminate counter, but couldn’t imagine how a Hudee ring would work. I ended up tiling it in and like the results. My favorite part of the bathrm though, is my ModWalls tile floor- your site’s banner ads work!!
Gina says
This is the sink and ring (with laminate) that we have in our never-been-remodeled 1966 master bath. Before we bought the house the sink and ring came separated on the back right and they caulked it in with some sort of goop. We aren’t really big on fixing things so it has stayed that way, but I’m guessing it became unattached to the clip or the clip broke or something. Thanks for the clue! Maybe we’ll eventually get this fixed. 🙂
Paul- CT says
The apron front sinks were very, very popular in my neighborhood as the houses were all built between 1960 and 1962. Sadly, two apron sinks were gutted last year and left out for the trash collector, Hudee trim and all. I wonder if she also took out the gorgeous pink Belgian glass.
Here is a link to how it used to look. You have to scroll to the 24th photo. That bathroom was Apron Sink Perfection! What a sad shame to know it’s gone but this photo gives it eternal life!
http://www.trulia.com/property/3206708931-26-Roslyn-Dr-New-Britain-CT-06052#photo-34
Let me know what you think!
Pam Kueber says
So sad. Gorgeous house.
KStacey says
Aaak! That’s the pink marble Wilsonart laminate I have in my kitchen. I would LOVE to have it in my bathroom. I hope somebody salvaged it from the curb and is enjoying it now. So sad to imagine that sitting in a landfill somewhere. So won’t!
Paul-CT says
Somehow the fact it was 2 sinks, makes it even worse! (BTW, it’s the 25th photo, not the 24th.)
I also wonder what the original kitchen looked like before it was ‘granitized’!
Paul-CT says
Another Apron Perfection Bathroom in my Neighborhood. Love the blue:
https://www.bhhsneproperties.com/img/mls/MLSPhotos/SMTLST/G10180246_27.jpg?mw=1000&mh=1000
And from the same house, but in PINK! Retrolicious!!!!
https://www.bhhsneproperties.com/img/mls/MLSPhotos/SMTLST/G10180246_28.jpg?mw=1000&mh=1000
Christine W says
I wonder when manufacturers decided to do away with the wall hung toilets and how common they were back then. What a pain cleaning the floor mounted ones around every stupid little curly-Q. I am guessing they were a niche product even back then.
KnoxMod says
My 1958 home has tiled-in apron-front Dresslyn sinks by American Standard (one light gray bathroom, one peach), and I love them! I’ve been on the hunt for a matching light-gray Dresslyn so I can someday add a second sink to my looong vanity in the master bath! I’ve seen pink, yellow, blue… but gray must have been less popular. If any renovistas see one, let me know! Deabath doesn’t have one now, but I’ll add them to my stalking list!
Pam Kueber says
I’ll keep an eye out, KnoxMod!
Sara says
My grandma’s 1959 storybook ranch in Tustin, CA had one of these sinks in the guest bathroom. Hudee ring and shiny brown laminate countertops with glitter speckles. The color scheme in the bathroom was brown and pink, with pink and brown tile in the tub enclosure. Her house was a model for the tract, so not sure if these sinks were put in all the neighborhood houses or not. But clearly it must’ve been a cutting edge popular sink at the time or I’m sure they wouldn’t have featured it in a model. Another interesting tidbit about her housing tract. The model homes were slightly larger than rest of the homes. Enough larger that you can tell the difference if you go in other homes of that “same” model. That would be considered false advertising today! Interesting that they did that sort of thing back then.
Pam Kueber says
yes, “cutting edge” get it? haha