Photo by David B. Moore The antique French iron faucet (bottom) dates from the late 19th century and features an embellished spout. It is pictured with an assortment of old faucets ranging from antique zinc designs to ones with decorative handles and spouts.

If you love the look of residences from a time gone by, consider installing vintage faucets. They could bring your home one step closer to achieving the ultimate in old-time authenticity.
 
Don Hooper of Vintage Plumbing Bathroom Antiques in Northridge, California, has seen a growing market for such fixtures in recent years. “Many people with older homes from the 1920s to the ’40s, and those with historic houses, want authentic faucets, or they want to complement vintage fixtures like a sink or tub,” he reports.

Hooper recently received a request for a 1928 shower assembly. Another customer owns a house that has an 1885 bathroom in original condition.

John Vienop of DEA Bathroom Ma-chineries in Murphys, California, usually sees two types of clients: those restoring existing faucets in an older home and those trying to “get rid of the ugly ’70s remodel and reinstall the authentic pieces.” 

 Salvaged faucets can be used outdoors as well, though this application generally consists of an old spout fitted with modern plumbing. Tim Harris of Relics Architectural Home & Garden in Phoenix notes that homeowners install these spouts—both vintage (less than 100 years old) and antique (more than 100 years old)—in fountains, pools and recirculating water features. He and business partner Todd Zillweger find the spouts in such countries as Holland, Spain, Belgium and France, where they once were used in farmhouses, shops and washrooms.  

The trade-offs? Older pieces, for example, need more maintenance, says Vienop. Washers typically must be changed every few years. “Leaking is an issue with any vintage faucet,” Hooper cautions. “They are made the old-fashioned way, with rubber seals, which can harden and crack. Plus, the seals and washers may be odd or nonstandardized sizes that require custom fabrication.” 

For vintage atmosphere only, non-working faucets can be mounted on a wall to serve as a coat or towel hook.