I have a 1924 clawfoot tub with legs that have two different casting numbers inside the legs. Two have "43" and two have "43L". I have inspected them carefully and can find no differences. I have put them in all different configurations around the tub and there is always an imbalance, as in opposite corners are too high and too low. The tub rocks.
What Kerwin has are the feet from an American Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company (Mfg. Co.) 5’ Roll Rim Claw Foot Tub. These were made by the tens of thousands during the 1920's and 30’s and are the most common type of antique claw foot tub found today.
The feet, in fact, are slightly different. The feet marked 43 should be on the drain end of the tub. The 43L feet should be on the end furthest away from the drain. The L stands for “long” and puts the tub at a slight angle in order for the water to run into the drain. A cross-section of the claw foot tub foot appears below:
If the tub continues to wobble, you can be truly vintage and use the standard leveling kit from the United States Mint – pennies, nickels or dimes wedged under the feet. Yes, this really is the way to level the tub because the feet are not adjustable. When we used to remove claw foot tubs from old buildings we would always find coins under the feet. This is the only solution we know of for leveling old tubs.
Nice tip about the coins! :)
ReplyDeleteI have a 1936 American Sanitary clawfoot tub. The inside is in good shape the outside is rusted. I would like to sell it, but have know idea what it is worth, can you help?
ReplyDeleteWe get asked that a lot. We have a resource on our site that talks about this a bit. Hopefully it helps. Good luck! http://www.vintagetub.com/asp/antique_bath_information.asp
ReplyDelete-Mike Deckman
Marketing Manager
Can you help me find four claw feet for a 1912, 68", Wolff Mfg. Co., #12 tub? Thomas Chambers
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the article.
I am also redoing a clawfoot tub. I noticed the "43" markings on the feet. However, all four of my feet have "43" and none with "43L".
Is the "L" in a different spot? Or, could the tub or floor been slanted to drain to the tub properly?
Thank you again. All the best.
David
I have an old tub, the markings on the bottom are Standard, 1 22 03 JG there is one more set I can not read. How would I find out how old it is?
ReplyDeleteI have a tub that has numbers 6 18 36 with a 9 below that. It is 5 ft long. The feet have the number 7 0 on each of them. Any information would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI have an old clawfoot tub that has a drain/overflow close to the bottom of the tub next to the drain, does anyone have a pic or can you tell me anything about the tub. I think it is approx 1915 era.
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering what I was going to do with my upstairs bathroom. looked at the bottom of clawfoot tub and found out that this Dec my tub will turn 100 years old. made by the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Co. Dec 1912. Thought that was really neat.
ReplyDeleteI have a Standard Sanitary Mfg. Co. Tub dated on bottom of tub 9-27-27 Louisville has a 5 in a raised box and also stamped 5ft. Additional has P2500
ReplyDeleteCould you please give me any information regarding this old tub. Thank You
There is not too much information on Standard Sanitary Mfg. tubs out there. They later became American Standard. I would suggest reaching out to them. Sorry I could not be of better help.
ReplyDelete