Bruce Linder, Executive Director of the Coronado Historical Association, shows off one of the smaller antique lavabos French sinks – believed to have been part of the original furniture in Coronado’s 1887 Boathouse. Photo by Joe Ditler.
CORONADO – They hung on the walls of the Coronado Chart House as flowerpots from 1969, and in subsequent restaurants until the summer of 2014. Over the decades their origin had been forgotten. In fact, they had blended into the décor to the point their true historical value had been completely lost.
There are four in all antique French lavabos dating back to the mid-1800s. And they have been donated to the Coronado Historical Association (CHA) to be used as a fundraiser for that organization.
The 1887 Boathouse was built a year before the Hotel del Coronado as a guide for workers to rehearse their skills. The antique sinks that hung on the walls of the building from 1969-2014 could have been part of the early furniture in this old structure. Researchers are now seeking information on the actual history of the four donated lavabos/sinks, as the first recorded history of the items only date back to the Chart House (1969). Photo courtesy Coronado Public Library.
The historic Boathouse is now the Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill. The large and heavy wall hangers came down with the rest of the older décor to make way for a new look last summer. While most of the items were sold at an impromptu parking lot sale, the lavabos were put aside for CHA.
“The only thing we know for sure is that they are very old and they are very rare,” said Jimmy Ulcickas, owner of Bluewater Boathouse. “While we can’t substantiate their exact history, I strongly suspect they were in the old Boathouse long before the Chart House took over the building in the 60s.”
Jimmy Ulcickas, owner of Bluewater Boathouse, displays one of the larger lavabos during a garage sale last year in the Boathouse parking lot. He put the four lavabos aside to save as a donation to the Coronado Museum, as a way of giving back to the community. Photo by Joe Ditler.
What is known is that the four large sinks are of French origin and designs such as this date back to the mid-1880s. They hung in the foyer of the Chart House from 1969-2001 as large flowerpots. They remained there as the restaurant changed from Boathouse 1887 to 1887 on the Bay, until Bluewater took over in June 2014.
Although rare and hard to find, similar sinks have become extremely popular as interior home design and for use in gardens and yards as birdbaths and yard decoration.
“We’re delighted to have them in our collection,” said Bruce Linder, executive director of CHA. “We’ll offer three to lucky Coronadans and keep one for our collection. Meanwhile we’ll keep trying to substantiate whether they were in fact part of the original 1887 Boathouse, and possibly even the Hotel del Coronado or Tent City.”
Two of the lavabos measure 28 inches in height and two are a bit smaller. Linder hopes that by sandblasting off the heavy coats of paint, a manufacturer or builder’s mark will be discovered, leading to a more precise origin and history of the unusual items.
The Coronado Museum is currently showcasing a new exhibit honoring 100 years of education in Coronado. They are located at 1100 Orange Avenue.
Coronado’s Bluewater Boathouse is located at 1701 Strand Way, across from the historic Hotel Del. For more information call (619) 435-0155, or visit www.bluewatergrill.com. You can also follow Bluewater Grill on Facebook. The restaurant is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (winter hours), serving lunch, brunch and dinner. Photo by Joe Ditler.
This item prepared by Part-Time PR, helping Coronado businesses find a greater voice in their community. For more information contact Joe Ditler at Part-Time PR, [email protected] or (619) 435-0767.
