Posted ByPat O'Connor on August 17, 2000 at 13:30:15:
In Reply to: Value of Clawfoot tub posted byK Rand on August 16, 2000 at 11:41:33:
: I have a clawfoot tub with the following markings:
: SSMCo 41/2 Made in USA Standard SW 1916 Aug 23
: Any help would be appreciated.
A 1916 American Standard Bath, here is some information that will answer most of what you need to know.
Market Value:
The market value of Antique Clawfoots is dependent on a couple of factors. One their condition. Two their collectability. In Excellent condition(show room quality) they are worh about 1,100 dollars,if they have been in the garden for a few years they can be only worth a few hundred. Also wheither or not they have feet is important and certain styles of clawfoot feet are a little more interesting than others. All of this can determine the value of a collectable like a clawfoot bath. 1901 and up isn't quite the Antique 100 year mark but it is close enough to make that clawfoot a collectable. And Clawfoots as collectables should increase in value with time. Also the size of the tub is a factor to look at, a 4 1/2 foot bath can increase your value by quite a few hundred dollars. Also the 6 foot and above is a rarer find. 5 1/2 and 5 foot while more common are still very popular. Hope that helps let me know if you need any more help on that. A good place to find the value of Clawfoot antique baths is in the antique section of a classified Add on the net or around town. Value is always determined on the concept of what is called "Market considerations" or as you have heard the term Market Value, this is different than inherent value which the actual value of the materials added up and current replacement value which is what it would cost to replace with a like item. Market Value is dependent on how much are these items going for today. The only way to find Market Value is to trace the Buying Selling of an item over a current period of time by doing research and monitoring the market place, and of course seeing what the are selling for in the areas that deal with the selling of these types of Antiques and collectables. Average value is 1,200 to 1,400 is they are in excellent to very good conditon and restoring them adds value.
With baths that are that old especially if they are showing signs of wear like scratches, have had a lot of use over the years. When a bathtub is used a lot over a long period of time, eventually the top layer of porcelain begins to wear causing the pours in the older softer porcelain to open up and with abrasive cleaning the pours open more and more. It has only been realized lately that abrasive cleaners and cleansers destroy porcelain. So you have a bath that is worn and scratched. Can you restore it. Answer Yes and No. The Yes answer is possible if you decide to refinish the item this is a higher cost than the 5.00 dollar deal you got. The No answer is if you want to make the porcelain look new without refinishing, anything you do to remove scratches or discoloration will cause the bath to become more vulnerable and severe erosion will begin in weak areas were water does its dirty work. Remember Water made the Grand Canyon or so it is said. Refinishing is done in the home or at an antique restoration facility like ours. We charge 675.00 which includes inside and out and brings it to showroom condition this really helps you if you are near us. We can recommend a company near you that has a product that will WORK!!! At our shop some of our nicest customers have been the Nordstroms, Mr. Chihully the famous Glass artist, among many many design companies and special contractors. I hope this helps and read the messages here about value of a clawfoot to see it you are willing to bring it up to a newer condition.
Restoration:
Restoration is simply the process of taking something old,worn or well used and trying to recreate what it would be like if it was brand new. With Clawfoot Baths this is done alot. There are three areas of restoration. 1. The Inside 2. The Outside 3. The Feet. I will go over each area but everyone's restoration is different because everyone's bath may be in a better or possibly a worse state than another.
1. We have the Feet (I will go in reverse because I am going from easier to harder areas) To restore the feet, you have to have them all (of course), if you are missing one or all there are posts here that can help you with your options. You must remove all of the paint, rust or other coatings on the feet, a wire brush works well, you can use a paint stripper on them also, we soak them in stripper sometimes and them brush them down. After they are clean and all residues are removed,(solvents work well, such as a wash grade shop solvent), be careful and we always insists that all safety precautions and safety gear is used such as gloves, safety glasses, and a respirator. Follow all precautions on any chemical's label that is used in cleaning the bath. Once all residue is removed you can coat them with any paint you choose, they all stick differently and a good reliable metal primer is best applied first. We use our porcelain substitute Glazecoat, this patented product is a hard enamel and our patented process makes the coating stronger than anything available to someone doing it themselves. But conventional painting if done carefully will satisfy you if that is what you want. Also you can have the feet plated, cost is anywhere from 65.00 to 75.00 dollars per foot. Usual choices are polished brass, chrome, nickel, and sometimes brushed nickel.
2. The Outside of the Bath, well good luck here, this for some would be a very hard task, but if you are asking for step by step instructions then I am sure you are up to the task. I will tell you are process and you can apply part or all the steps. First the outside is cleaned of everything, we try to bring our baths down to the metal on the outside, sandblasting is used by some, we prefer heavy grinding and finish sanding. We also like to apply several coats of a polyester material that helps to create a nice flat smooth finish, when we are down we have to be able to put our hand up to it and see the reflection. They look good! Then we use a porcelain substitute on the outside, not just a water resistant paint , but a water proof glazing enamel, for the do it yourself enthusiast a oil based enamel can create a very homey appeal, and some use different types of artwork to add a special effect.
3. Hardest for Last The Inside of the Bath, Home owners really truly cannot do this and have it called refinished, all coatings that claim to coat porcelain and you can just put it on, will not give you a very long life and usually you will not be happy with the look also. There are professional services that claim they will refinish your bath, beware, every product used for refinishing is a little different, some are worse than others, Bathcrest has the only Molecular Bonding Product, Through a series of layering and applications of a patented product, the electrons of Bathcrest Coating share the same space as the electrons of the Surface of the Bath. This is called a covalent bond and is the strongest bond know to glass. All other products in refinishing are mechanical bonding and lay on the surface like a paint, there protection is there shiny layer, once that shiny layer is broken, nicked, chipped, water penetrates and rapid adhesion failure usually occurs, the coating can lift in large or small sections. With our coating even if you get a chip or nick you have a molecule by molecule back up. So all you end up with is just a nick or a chip. It is not that theses other coating are fraudulent, they can give you a life, you just have to treat them very carefully.
We carry that product although we do not list it in our store, the feet have two choices usually a lions paw or the more attractive ball and claw foot. This is a good solution if you are having trouble finding feet or if one of the attachment locations on the bath itself is broken or missing.The comments I have heard is that the cradle feet do not have the same look has a original fit usually there might be a slight gap between the foot and the bath. Also if your bath is a bit odd in its shape uderneath you might have a slight challenge adjusting the cradle. All in all it is a good answer if you cannot fit original feet and they have come out with some very attractive models now and we have seen folks use them well. We carry them in the store but and can post them under miscellaneous if enough requests came in, getting them is not hard just email us and we can give anyone a hand in using them. We do offer them contact 1-800-939-9123 or email us with our email link.