Ash Tray or Pan

M

MDFraley

Member
Love to play the guessing game sometimes so here's one that I haven't labeled as of this post.
Only one piece of identification on it; On the bottom near the handle end it has the words "IRON ART" and that's it. No (made in USA), No (made in China), No size number.
It's cast iron, no gate mark, apx. 1/8" thick and just over 1 1/2" tall. The piece is one single mold. The pour spouts are part of the mold and NOT welded on. Inside is pitted but may be salvageable to cook in once cleaned and seasoned. The hole in the handle appears to be a drilled hole which means it was done after the molding process.
I originally thought it was an oversized ash tray (and it may very well be) but it also appears to have been cooked in at one time.
I figured for $5 I couldn't go wrong so all you experts weigh in......
http://imgur.com/a/G0qxf
 
Whenever I see food cooked in an ashtray it grosses me out, but some people enjoy that. I wouldn't eat it nor would I eat chili cooked in a spittoon.
 
As a two pack a day guy for 47 years my immediate response was ashtray. However, it is too big for an ashtray and what would be the cig holders aren’t designed well for smokers. Being art I’m now thinking there is one or more missing pieces that would tell the rest of the story.

I would guess that the black is not seasoning from cooking and that it is neither an ashtray or a skillet.

I might just give someone $5 to take it off my hands so I could forget about it.

Hilditch
 
I'll say one thing....Sure got some good laughs from you guys/girl and has restored my faith in the C.I.C site. Been a while since I've enjoyed reading some of the post here.
I know where Hilditch lives in Georgia and he may receive a C.O.D. package right around X'mas (for $5) about the size of this large ash tray.
I did a little looking around after posting this thread and found a couple pieces of C.I. on eBay that were marked 'IRON ART" so apparently it is an American made piece. When made?....Have no idea....
I'm thinking that a 2 pack-a-day smoker could go almost a week without having to empty this thing.
I'm also thinking if I cooked in it the product would surely be a "smoked" something or another.
 
I think CJ is on the right track.

MD, If you would PM me your PayPal email account I’ll deposit $5 if you promise not to send me a Xmas gift, any Xmas gift!

Hilditch
 
I'm not saying that I would do this for this piece. But, other than lead being used in a pan, I thought a lye bath followed by electrolysis would remove all organic matter from a pan. So I've been happily cooking in over 100 year skillets. At the risk of having my bubble burst, doesn't those 2 rounds of cleaning plus new seasoning take care of all the old crap?
 
I grew up with both parents smoking two packs a day. They would have friends who also smoked over for card games. They would have one big ashtray on the card table.

This is most definitely an ashtray.

Several of my parents ashtrays were 8 or nine inches across.
 
CJ Lucas said:
I think it's a "silent butler".
Click to expand...

According to the definition of a silent butler it needs a lid....

A silent butler, sometimes called an ash butler, is a small container, often of base metal, sometimes silver or silverplate, with a handle and hinged cover, used for collecting ashes or crumbs.
 
ME, yes the two baths and baking will leave cast iron licking clean no matter what was put in a pan.

MD, Art + “one or more missing pieces” + silent butler concept = a potential direction for an answer. I can picture the maid using it to clean up after Fifi, or to hold a fondue pot with corner fork rests. Or a grate with corner rests over warm coals or water to keep a teapot warm. Etc.

Hilditch
 
Michael, I think your ashtray may have been made by the Iron Art Company in Phillipsburg, NJ. It looks like they were in business from the 1950-90s.
 
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