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Post by straekat on Feb 12, 2024 9:42:03 GMT -7
Not done yet, there's more. I'll post the others a little at a time.
This one is American, probably made ca 1760-1770s. early style ears (round in section, drooping downwards). Legs are slightly longer than the 1750s pot shown, and large "hoof" ends. Came with a lid. This is a -large- pot about 10" in diameter, and the same height. Lid looks a lot like the one Hawk has.
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Post by straekat on Feb 12, 2024 9:47:09 GMT -7
Last one of the lid, showing the inside. I suspect the lid is a repro, however, it looks ok with the pot.
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Post by straekat on Feb 21, 2024 8:40:18 GMT -7
Before adding more from the collection, these three images from Tyler's book are useful for seeing shape and other changes over time. The small images next to the pot silhouettes are the cross section shapes of the ears.
The last one relates to skillets and posnets aka "spiders." For our period, the first one, known as the "rat tail" is the shape to look for if you see them at garage sales, flea markets, and elsewhere.
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Post by paranger on Feb 21, 2024 9:32:21 GMT -7
Awesome diagrams. I am going to have to pick up that book!
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coot
City-dweller
Posts: 152
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Post by coot on Feb 22, 2024 7:11:05 GMT -7
Thanks for mentioning Tylers book - I have ordered a copy.
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Post by straekat on Feb 27, 2024 10:09:06 GMT -7
Circa 1800-1810, or as late as 1820.
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Post by straekat on Feb 27, 2024 10:11:06 GMT -7
Another one, -very- similar although a little smaller. Both have circular casting sprues, and from the shape of the ears they were made circa 1800/1820. The tips of the feet are slightly smaller on this one compared to the previous one.
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Post by straekat on Feb 27, 2024 10:19:40 GMT -7
So far, with the exception of the two French made ones, these have been cauldrons. There are "kettles" (not the teapot things), and "posnets". Cauldrons are easier to date due to their shapes, types of ears, feet, and sometimes the type of the rims, particularly with British made cast iron cauldrons. Posnets are a form of skillet or pot with a handle and feet. The handles can be used to give a general guesstimate of age. The kettles are tougher, because the shape of the body is a deep bowl that doesn't change much over time, and the only indicators that do change are the bail attachment lug and the feet.
I'll post a few of these soon.
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Post by straekat on Mar 1, 2024 13:28:42 GMT -7
I still have more cauldrons to post. The ears on this cauldron should be compared to the previous two. The ear shape on those are curved or rounded on the outer and interior. They also have a slightly angular cross section.
This one has ears that are straight on the outer surface, with a slightly curved inner surface. According to Tyler, ears started to develop the inside curve starting around 1790, and by 1820, the inside and outsides were both curved, completing the transition. The feet on this pot are placed well under the pot, and are triangular, and each side of the triangle is curved inwards or dished out. Triangular feet are known on cauldrons made circa 1790/1800, but the dished out legs are an unusual feature on American made cauldrons. The overall shape, and ears suggest it was made circa 1790/1800, however, the triangular feet are a question mark.
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Post by straekat on Mar 1, 2024 13:31:18 GMT -7
Compare these two ears. In the first one, you can see the inward curve and outer straight side. The second one, with both sides curving can be seen in the previous two pots.
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Post by straekat on Mar 1, 2024 13:48:27 GMT -7
Cast iron cauldrons and kitchenware during the 18th and 19th century was often repaired by brazing the cracks from pot the outside. This cauldron was cracked from two sides that came close to splitting it into two pieces.
The pot has the two curved ear surfaces and triangular shaped feet suggesting it was made circa 1810 +/- a decade or so. The two bands or rings at the base of the ears, and another near the top of the ears, in addition to the general shape and location of the feet are similar to Pine Grove Foundry made cauldrons, or others located in the south central PA, or Maryland region.
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Post by straekat on Mar 1, 2024 13:49:45 GMT -7
I like this piece and so, one more, for an encore....
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Post by Black Hand on Mar 3, 2024 6:50:09 GMT -7
Any idea when this type of handle came into use? The ends have hooks that fit into the ears.
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Post by straekat on Mar 3, 2024 12:54:53 GMT -7
I can't say when pot-lifters first occurred, but know they were around since at least the last part of the 18th century.
They might even work as tail-hooks for a forum member who might need them for hang-gliding....
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Post by straekat on Mar 8, 2024 7:13:12 GMT -7
So far, I haven't said anything about British made cast iron that was imported in the American colonies and then the United States. There are differences between British and American made cauldrons. British cauldrons may often have shorter and squatter shapes than American made cauldrons, and with shorter and less flared rims. I have three, possibly four, items in my collection that I can show, however, these are 19th century or later pieces.
This cauldron is small and was made by the Swain company in the Manchester area of England. The club and diamond logo is the company's trademark, and the firm was established in 1875, and in 1914 was engaged only in war-related materials until 1918 when it closed down permanently. This helps to date the pot, however in 1878, the British Parliament passed a law to protect British made items from imported competition, by adding "Made in England" or "Made in Scotland" impressed or stamped onto items. The lack of the phrase suggests the pot was made in the 1870-1880s period.
The ear shape on American cauldrons during the last half of the 19th century were shifting away from the angula r form of earlier pieces, to rounded "C" shapes, or what some have called the cow-horn ears.
The piece was made using the same methods larger pots were made by, and it is functional, not decorative as more recent made pieces often are. We'll go over those late in the thread.
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