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EARLY SINKS

In the days before indoor plumbing, many necessary utility items were made using naturally available material. Every homestead needed a way to wash either themselves, clothing, or everyday utensils in the household setting. Some used dry sinks, usually made of wood, some were hammered out of tin or copper, yet other more progressive households were able to obtain sinks fashioned from various stone materials such as bluestone, marble, brownstone, limestone, and in New England, mostly out of granite.

Presently Olde New England Salvage Company of Bozrah, Connecticut has acquired six of these early vessels in granite, marble and brownstone. They are all of New England or New York origin. Many imports are showing up in the marketplace but these are guaranteed American provenance.The various sizes were generally created by a stone craftsperson using time honored hand chisels and hammers. The most common size is in the 22”-25” width x 36”-42” length. The overall thickness is usually 5”- 8” (outside) which allowed for a 3”-5” depth basin. The sink interior most commonly has rounded corners and splayed sides with a pitched “floor” which drained to an outlet hole which was then connected to a wooden or lead pipe that went through the wall directly to the outside. The earlier sinks had “spouts” in the 10”-12” length that went through the wall of the house and drained outside. Two such examples are pictured.

Visit www.oldenewenglandsalvage.com for current offerings.