Unknown Dutch Oven - #8

DKruitz

New member
It seems like it might be an unmarked lodge - it's a #8 with lid and trivet. Trivet primary marking is just a "6" cast in, with a couple other #s in different spots - mold#s?) The lid has pointed dimples underneath, but the handle is not cast in once piece with the lid. The handle is cast iron and appears to be press fit in to the lid. It has a bit of a ridge on it, with slightly upturned ends. That's the one I can seem to figure out.

I'm guessing it's pre-1960, because of the lack of Made in USA, but that's all I'm surmising. Thoughts on make - I guess the lid is the biggest clue.
 
The handle style says Martin, but the underside says Lodge. But on a Martin lid, one would also expect the size number, as in "No. 8". Some older Lodge lids have "applied" handles, but not of this shape. Haven't really paid attention to the RB to say if any Lodge with such handles are shown.

Re: photos, you really need to pull back a bit and show the entire piece. Overall lid shapes can also provide clues.
 
I will definitely get better photos tonight, these were just ones I snapped last night after driving 950 miles home last night.
 
Here are more and better photos. Thanks for looking! There are no other markings other than shown and mentioned below. I've started cleaning the old crud off, and the underside of the lid shows repairs or tweaks to the mold as it transfered to the finished lid. I'll grab photos later if anyone is interested.

General view of pot with trivet:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mEgsBFJRClkXy3FTk6ZH-vr1XCqTZlqs/view?usp=sharing


Closeup of trivet showing large "9", small "4", not shown "8" on opposite edge:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ccRzZN5ny13nUOzx4fFOMiyPa2yjm21q/view?usp=sharing

Side view of lid:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/114-SadxuPlO68AhwFt4WOb4cWysP8IcC/view?usp=sharing


Underside of pot:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nmJMhTIJMY22PuyiAaJRk6TsbV4De9Q3/view?usp=sharing


Underside of tilt handle on pot: "U H" or "D I"?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Elgy3m_xUOgmVT34e2HWY-VBJOXIM3zY/view?usp=sharing
 
I believe the trivet is lodge... if I recall correctly they marked theirs like that... with the multiple sizes.
I'm with Doug D, lid looks like a martin handle on a lodge lid... how is that top part of the handle attached to the stubs on the bottom part?
 
I'm not sure how the handle is held in place. There are no markings on the underside of the lid from attachment. The handle looks to be a slightly different color than the lid, but I see no means of fastening, other than maybe a force fit.

THis is a photo of the underside after a quick washing, but before I tried stripping it. Possibly of note is the wavy appearance on the broad surface - looks like the mold was tweaked.

view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1snizGkSwPqsVLGYv33Rxdiv82XwShCz7/view?usp=sharing

I've can get newer photos now that the stripping is underway.
 
The handle is a pre-cast piece inserted into the "sockets" in the pattern. When the pattern was removed from the hardened sand mold, the handle was left encased in the sand. Then the mold was reassembled and when the iron was poured, it fused with the handle. Later solutions included two hinged half handles that did not disturb the sand when removed. Even later was the single long, tapered handle that could be retracted when removing the pattern.
 
Lodge on the pot and trivet? Lodge or Martin on the lid? Is it an oddball Lodge lid, or just a Martin lid on a lodge pot?
 
A lid such as this has been seen before with a chicken fryer which appears to be Lodge. The trivet is an older Lodge, as far as I can tell. The pot may very well be Lodge, but we still haven't seen photos of the bottom of pot in its entirety. As noted before, close-ups show characteristics, but not context, e.g. two different brand DOs may have similar fonts for size numbers, but if we can't see the handle attachments, heat ring, etc. we can't begin to say which is which.
 
The pot seems definitely Lodge, probably late 1950s by markings/lack of markings. I would lean towards the lid also being Lodge and may or may not be from the same time frame; I don't see a molder's mark. I won't speculate further about the handle because speculation in these circles is all to often repeated as fact elsewhere.
 
I appreciate the insights! After getting delayed cleaning it up, I've started seasoning it as of last night.
 
Back
Top