My neighbor Duane and Mary’s other bathroom. About the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. See all of it here.
Dear Pam,
I am looking for bathroom sink towel bars, just the bars or the bars with the legs. Do you know of any source? I don’t mean the new expensive Restoration Hardware type that goes on the Kohler sinks, just the old type ones. I replaced a sink that had the legs and the towel bars separately. I kept the towel bars and got new legs (Amazon, about $50), but there is no way to attach the bars on the new sink… The old one was the ‘skirt’ type and the towel bars were attached on the skirt edge/lip. The new sink has a flat bottom which does not provide any point to attach the bars. So on to a hunt for new bars, I go.
All help appreciated. And as always, I LOVE your blog/website!!!!!! Now on the 10th year?! Time flies…
Thanks much,
Melita
Thank you, Melita.
Alas, the answer is not so easy: I know of no one making these new. You need to stalk vintage. They do come up now and again on ebay. But, folks tend to know they have some treasure, and the beauties don’t come cheap. Somewhere in my hoard, I have a New Old Stock American Standard set, complete. This story might inspire me to cash out my treasure!
Above: Vintage Crane towel bar for sink legs, looks like you’d need to cut down one towel bar (or find other towel bars the right depth) and also find escutcheons for the wall. Hmmm.
Note: All the links to ebay in this story are affiliate links that earn me a wee commission if you click and buy.
The problem we encountered when we renovated our house, and the likely reason no one is making them anymore, is that in the intervening years building code has evolved to require a specific sink height. We had to briefly remove the Abi for mold remediation, and when the contractor went to nstalk the sink again, he found that the legs were too short to meet code—so he threw them out! They were replaced with ugly pieces of pipe. 🙁
Are you familiar with DEA Bathroom
Machineries? https://deabath.com/index.html
They have some, also NOS ceramics, fixtures repair kits, lots of things.
So sorry that happened, [building code advice edited out by Pam: readers, on such issues get with your own properly licensed professionals]. But I’m sure you can find new chrome legs at different heights on line. Here is one of many I found, and they are adjustable in height:
amazon.com/Do-it-Best-Global-Sourcing/dp/B000DZG07O
Melita Lykiardopoulousays:
Hi Pam, thanks for this article! Boy, I fell asleep on the wheel, so to speak, and the sink was sold already!…
These are the exact bars I have from the previous sink, but alas, I cannot attach them in the new sink. These are good for a cast iron sink, not for a porcelain one with flat bottom nicely covering the molded shape of the bow. The towel bars attached on the edge of the molded shape cast iron in such a way that they looked like they are holding the sink up.
The clamp-on type could either have bars with escutcheons on the wall (that’s what I have) or end with another clamp-on away from the wall (4 clamp-on and 2 bars, or 2 clamp-on, 2 bars and 2 escutcheons). I am looking for the one on the link with the two unequal bars. This is the American Standard type and apparently was the ‘higher end’ one, with either hex steel, or round solid brass with chrome legs – much heavier than the Lasco. I have two bathrooms with American Standard legs and towel bars and love them! Just like the one in your picture. Lovely all the way!
Thanks – as always, your greatest fan 🙂
PS – Pink Alert!!!! My neighbor said she would be ‘updating’ her ‘ugghh’ pink bathroom soon. I asked her to let me see it before she starts demolition. She said ‘nothing you would care for, old 1970’s or earlier bathroom’. I almost jumped saying: ‘not so fast! Try me! Try me first!!! Will keep you posted!
Lyndasewsalotsays:
Nora! I feel for you. Why would a contractor throw something that does not belong to them out!!! I had a set of ceramic fish on my bathroom wall . My contractor threw them in the garbage can when I was not home. The mama fish broke! ????. When I got home I asked “ where are my wall fish”? The contractor jut looked at me like it was me who was wrong for wanting the old ugly fish! I don’t understand some people.
Cloudysays:
I just bought a clamp-on bar too from a seller on ebay. Did you get your bar to attach? Mine isn’t here yet, so I’m trying to get ahead of the game at your expense. lol
I just bought an American standard sink with chrome legs (towel bars missing sadly) but didn’t get any hardware and can’t a seem to figure how everything mounts/attaches. Anybody have guidance?? Thanks!
Pam Kuebersays:
Hi Joey, give deabath.com a try — I believe they have a variety of mounting hardware available. Good luck.
Susansays:
Thank you for this information. I have an American Standard sink as you described with original towel bars and legs. Looking for a way to clean up the chrome or replace the towel bars and legs.
Alas, the answer is not so easy: I know of no one making these new. You need to stalk vintage. They do come up now and again on ebay. But, folks tend to know they have some treasure, and the beauties don’t come cheap. Somewhere in my hoard, I have a New Old Stock American Standard set, complete. This story might inspire me to cash out my treasure!
, looks like you’d need to cut down one towel bar (or find other towel bars the right depth) and also find escutcheons for the wall. Hmmm.
Above: Vintage towel bar for sink legs — different design, looks complete
Above: Vintage towel bar for sink legs — another design, I don’t understand how this one works
Update: I did more research and found an ebay seller
Crane Drexel legs and attached towel bars, this seller says, yummmm
Maybe: Buy a whole sink just for the towel bars?
The problem we encountered when we renovated our house, and the likely reason no one is making them anymore, is that in the intervening years building code has evolved to require a specific sink height. We had to briefly remove the Abi for mold remediation, and when the contractor went to nstalk the sink again, he found that the legs were too short to meet code—so he threw them out! They were replaced with ugly pieces of pipe. 🙁
Good call!
If you just need a towel bar and have one of the modern pedestal sinks Dunelm do a towel bar that goes round the pedestal and screws to the wall – it is also cheap, £8.00! You can find it here :- http://www.dunelm.com/category/home-and-furniture/bathroom/bathroom-accessories/towel-rails-and-radiators?sku_id=30240699&cm_mmc=pla_google-_-PLA%20-%20GS%20-%20Bath%20-%20PSB-_-Bathroom%20Accessories%20-%20All%20Products-_-keyword&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtb_bBRCFARIsAO5fVvHcGpjbba2G7rEW6VEkIHiW0cYdJ98OiBYyzeV9EJCWI7X3zz-1ftAaAp5EEALw_wcB
Are you familiar with DEA Bathroom
Machineries?
https://deabath.com/index.html
They have some, also NOS ceramics, fixtures repair kits, lots of things.
Yes, they are a longtime advertiser, and I have many stories about their products here on the blog, see: https://retrorenovation.com/?s=deabath
So sorry that happened, [building code advice edited out by Pam: readers, on such issues get with your own properly licensed professionals]. But I’m sure you can find new chrome legs at different heights on line. Here is one of many I found, and they are adjustable in height:
amazon.com/Do-it-Best-Global-Sourcing/dp/B000DZG07O
Hi Pam, thanks for this article! Boy, I fell asleep on the wheel, so to speak, and the sink was sold already!…
These are the exact bars I have from the previous sink, but alas, I cannot attach them in the new sink. These are good for a cast iron sink, not for a porcelain one with flat bottom nicely covering the molded shape of the bow. The towel bars attached on the edge of the molded shape cast iron in such a way that they looked like they are holding the sink up.
The clamp-on type could either have bars with escutcheons on the wall (that’s what I have) or end with another clamp-on away from the wall (4 clamp-on and 2 bars, or 2 clamp-on, 2 bars and 2 escutcheons). I am looking for the one on the link with the two unequal bars. This is the American Standard type and apparently was the ‘higher end’ one, with either hex steel, or round solid brass with chrome legs – much heavier than the Lasco. I have two bathrooms with American Standard legs and towel bars and love them! Just like the one in your picture. Lovely all the way!
Thanks – as always, your greatest fan 🙂
PS – Pink Alert!!!! My neighbor said she would be ‘updating’ her ‘ugghh’ pink bathroom soon. I asked her to let me see it before she starts demolition. She said ‘nothing you would care for, old 1970’s or earlier bathroom’. I almost jumped saying: ‘not so fast! Try me! Try me first!!! Will keep you posted!
Nora! I feel for you. Why would a contractor throw something that does not belong to them out!!! I had a set of ceramic fish on my bathroom wall . My contractor threw them in the garbage can when I was not home. The mama fish broke! ????. When I got home I asked “ where are my wall fish”? The contractor jut looked at me like it was me who was wrong for wanting the old ugly fish! I don’t understand some people.
I just bought a clamp-on bar too from a seller on ebay. Did you get your bar to attach? Mine isn’t here yet, so I’m trying to get ahead of the game at your expense. lol
Hi Cloudy, perhaps this followup will help you? >> https://retrorenovation.com/2018/08/20/how-vintage-towel-bars-fit-on-to-vintage-bathroom-sinks-chunky-china-sink-version/
I just bought an American standard sink with chrome legs (towel bars missing sadly) but didn’t get any hardware and can’t a seem to figure how everything mounts/attaches. Anybody have guidance?? Thanks!
Hi Joey, give deabath.com a try — I believe they have a variety of mounting hardware available. Good luck.
Thank you for this information. I have an American Standard sink as you described with original towel bars and legs. Looking for a way to clean up the chrome or replace the towel bars and legs.