Vintage pedestal sink: setting the basin on the pedestal

[HammienMax]

We have a porcelain pedestal sink, 1928 Crane Corwith China Pedestal. The bathroom is original and the sink is freestanding, weight supported by the pedestal and only held secure to the wall by the supply line pipes (not fastened to the wall). There is only a bolt to hold the basin to the pedestal, no other fastening to floor or wall.

The photo shows some material that was troweled into the cavities of the bottom of the sink basin after we removed it from its pedestal (bright white stuff on the right side). Not sure what the material was (it's been scraped out now) but after 80 years was dried, brittle and easy to pry out. Now we need to re-set the sink bowl on the pedestal. We would like to find the material that will fill/mold the basin to the pedestal, allow leveling, and support the weight of the basin with set.

Best local advice is to stuff plumbers putty in there to replicate the original state, but we're worried that the putty will not really setup to a state to support the basin, eventually ooze out, and leave us with an unleveled basin or china basin to pedestal contact.

Does anyone have experience with this? I would like to first hear if someone knows what material they use back then? What do you recommend?

Sorry for the long post, thanks for your help

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

When I set my sink it had two legs. I used Silicone to set the legs to the base and then let that cure overnight. The sink was upside down when I did this....

I think the pedestal will take the weight and the silicone should just hold things still until it gets screwed and anchored to the wall....

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

Plumbers putty won't be any help there.
Normally the basin rests on the pedestal, and it's just a matter of securing from the wall so that it doesn't fall into the room. Many will have two holes that can be wall anchored for securing the bowl.

That old crumbly stuff may have been plaster. It all looks pretty sketchy to me.
Install a pedastal lav in the best circumstances is difficult enough without making it nearly impossible to get a good attachment to the wall.

 

[hj]

Back then, many pedestal sinks had chrome angle brackets to hold them against the wall.