Sink trivia....old sink picture.

Lakesrider · 06-01-2009, 07:45 PM

Ok a friend was tearing out an old home and this sink was in it. He wants to know what it was used for. With the vast knowledge here this should be an easy one.

this is not a joke.......really!

Argie's Wife · 06-01-2009, 08:45 PM

What makes you think it's a sink?

It's a urinal with a special design to make sure that nobody misses!

Just kidding!

The REAL answer will be interesting, I'm sure...

Rattlesnake Guy · 06-01-2009, 08:55 PM

My vote is for a "Sitz Bath".

Answer.com
Definition
A sitz bath (also called a hip bath) is a type of bath in which only the hips and buttocks are soaked in water or saline solution. Its name comes from the German verb "sitzen," meaning "to sit."

fatlazyless · 06-01-2009, 10:03 PM

What that funky look'n thing is, is one of those 99 dollar hot tubs from that Weirs Times classified ad.

.......another NH bargain too good to pass bye .

EZ-Pass · 06-02-2009, 05:12 AM

My belief is that it is a flower pot one fines on the front lawn of an old antique shop.

jmen24 · 06-02-2009, 08:11 AM

This is a Sitz basin used in giving a Sitz Bath.

Could we get some additional information.

Age of home that the sink is in currently.
Style of home
If it is still available to look at, try to have him find the stamp just behind the drain on the underside of the basin, that will have some information that would help with the placement of the date and possibly the manufacturer which will then help narrow things down a little.

Smith Point · 06-02-2009, 09:48 AM

That’s easy. Sometimes older gentlemen need a little running water to get things flowing. It’s called a Niagara basin

SIKSUKR · 06-02-2009, 10:06 AM

I'll have to go with King Kong's pleasure device.

LIforrelaxin · 06-02-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

What makes you think it's a sink?

It's a urinal with a special design to make sure that nobody misses!
.

Yes I agree!!!!!!

it is the most sound guess so far in my opinion.......

loony · 06-02-2009, 10:53 AM

How about a urinal for women?

ApS · 06-02-2009, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmen24

"...This is a Sitz basin used in giving a Sitz Bath...
Age of home that the sink is in currently...find the stamp just behind the drain on the underside of the basin, that will have some information that would help with the placement of the date..."

It could be from an olde hospital supply firm.

A stamping or a date-stamp might help, but it's possible that the item isn't marked because it was imported.

I think RG has already "nailed it" anyway.

This basin is clearly designed around a minimal requirement for water—suggesting it might date from around the 1880s. Hot water would have to be manually carried—from say, a woodstove—to mix with cold water supplied from the faucet.

(If hot water wasn't supplied, hopefully the cold water wasn't glacial runoff).

BTW: Isn't FLL showing a little too much interest in this item?

Lakesrider · 06-02-2009, 12:15 PM

I was told the height of the sink makes it impractical to use as a urinal. If I get to talk to him tonight I will see if he has more information.

hoopdawg · 06-02-2009, 01:40 PM

I contacted a vintage plumber expert and this is what he told me
Hello,
that is a hairdressers sink. I have not seen it before, but have seen similars. The curved areas are for someone lying in a chair to rest her neck against and the hair flows into the sink. It could be something Euro made, rather than American.
That is the best I can tell you,
All the best,

Don Hooper - Vintage Plumbing

SIKSUKR · 06-03-2009, 08:38 AM

Definately not a hairdresser's sink.I had my head in one yesterday and the extension on this one is just the opposite.A standup version for backhair maybe.

Mee-n-Mac · 06-03-2009, 10:41 AM

As said it's a sink but it's for horses. Supposedly too high to be a urinal, it makes perfect sense to be a Sitz type sink for horses. Of course I mean only for a male horse but this makes sense. It was designed for Catherine the Great so she could have her ... ummm .... "friend's" .... ummmm .... "parts" properly bathed before they .... ummmmm ..... became "more friendly". Look at it again, form follows function.

woodswalk · 06-03-2009, 10:45 AM

Steve Martin I believe had it.......
Looks like "time for a good old fashion blood letting".

Merrymeeting · 06-03-2009, 03:08 PM

While the sitz type sink idea seems to make the most sense, I have a hard time believing that those legs were designed to hold the weight of a body.

I know that, in general, people were smaller and lighter then. But those legs look awful spindly.

SteveA · 06-03-2009, 04:55 PM

http://www.vintageplumbing.com/home.html

I couldn't find anything that looked like it on their site. But it is Vintage.

06-01-2009, 07:45 PM	#1
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Sink trivia....old sink picture. Ok a friend was tearing out an old home and this sink was in it. He wants to know what it was used for. With the vast knowledge here this should be an easy one. this is not a joke.......really!

06-01-2009, 10:03 PM	#4
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,529 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 296 Thanked 957 Times in 698 Posts	What that funky look'n thing is, is one of those 99 dollar hot tubs from that Weirs Times classified ad. .......another NH bargain too good to pass bye . __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake! Last edited by fatlazyless; 06-02-2009 at 05:35 AM.

06-02-2009, 08:11 AM	#6
jmen24 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,139 Thanks: 223 Thanked 319 Times in 181 Posts	not a Sitz This is a Sitz basin used in giving a Sitz Bath. Could we get some additional information. Age of home that the sink is in currently. Style of home If it is still available to look at, try to have him find the stamp just behind the drain on the underside of the basin, that will have some information that would help with the placement of the date and possibly the manufacturer which will then help narrow things down a little. Attached Images Last edited by jmen24; 06-02-2009 at 08:44 AM.

06-02-2009, 10:06 AM	#8
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	I'll have to go with King Kong's pleasure device. __________________ SIKSUKR

06-03-2009, 08:38 AM	#14
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Definately not a hairdresser's sink.I had my head in one yesterday and the extension on this one is just the opposite.A standup version for backhair maybe. __________________ SIKSUKR

06-01-2009, 08:45 PM	#2
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	What makes you think it's a sink? It's a urinal with a special design to make sure that nobody misses! Just kidding! The REAL answer will be interesting, I'm sure...

06-01-2009, 08:55 PM	#3
Rattlesnake Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,254 Thanks: 423 Thanked 366 Times in 175 Posts	My vote is for a "Sitz Bath". Answer.com Definition A sitz bath (also called a hip bath) is a type of bath in which only the hips and buttocks are soaked in water or saline solution. Its name comes from the German verb "sitzen," meaning "to sit."

06-02-2009, 05:12 AM	#5
EZ-Pass Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 66 Thanks: 6 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post	My belief is that it is a flower pot one fines on the front lawn of an old antique shop.

06-02-2009, 09:48 AM	#7
Smith Point Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Smith Point/ Bangor ME Posts: 193 Thanks: 196 Thanked 35 Times in 18 Posts	That’s easy. Sometimes older gentlemen need a little running water to get things flowing. It’s called a Niagara basin

06-02-2009, 10:53 AM	#10
loony Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 101 Thanks: 0 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	How about a urinal for women?

06-02-2009, 12:15 PM	#12
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	I was told the height of the sink makes it impractical to use as a urinal. If I get to talk to him tonight I will see if he has more information.

06-02-2009, 01:40 PM	#13
hoopdawg Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 62 Thanks: 0 Thanked 30 Times in 13 Posts	I contacted a vintage plumber expert and this is what he told me Hello, that is a hairdressers sink. I have not seen it before, but have seen similars. The curved areas are for someone lying in a chair to rest her neck against and the hair flows into the sink. It could be something Euro made, rather than American. That is the best I can tell you, All the best, Don Hooper - Vintage Plumbing

06-03-2009, 10:41 AM	#15
Mee-n-Mac Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,943 Thanks: 23 Thanked 111 Times in 51 Posts	It's a sink alright, but for .... As said it's a sink but it's for horses. Supposedly too high to be a urinal, it makes perfect sense to be a Sitz type sink for horses. Of course I mean only for a male horse but this makes sense. It was designed for Catherine the Great so she could have her ... ummm .... "friend's" .... ummmm .... "parts" properly bathed before they .... ummmmm ..... became "more friendly". Look at it again, form follows function. __________________ Mee'n'Mac "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by simple stupidity or ignorance. The latter are a lot more common than the former." - RAH

06-03-2009, 10:45 AM	#16
woodswalk Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: GIW NH Posts: 41 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Steve Martin I believe had it....... Looks like "time for a good old fashion blood letting".

06-03-2009, 03:08 PM	#17
Merrymeeting Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrymeeting Lake, New Durham Posts: 2,217 Thanks: 299 Thanked 795 Times in 365 Posts	While the sitz type sink idea seems to make the most sense, I have a hard time believing that those legs were designed to hold the weight of a body. I know that, in general, people were smaller and lighter then. But those legs look awful spindly.

06-03-2009, 04:55 PM	#18
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	Bet these folks might know... http://www.vintageplumbing.com/home.html I couldn't find anything that looked like it on their site. But it is Vintage. __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

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