Hello & Help with Kettle ID

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Blake Awbrey

New member
Hello,
My name is Blake Awbrey and I am an antiques & collectibles dealer & collector in San Antonio, Texas. (The antique dealing funds my collecting.) I found this website and the forum while trying to research some cast iron cookware I finally got around to cleaning, curing and trying to identify.
I would like to thank the person or persons who write the articles on the site. I was able to identify a NO. 3 6-5/8" skillet as BSR and following the directions in the resources section I have built my own electrolysis tank.
In the tank right now is a cast iron flared lip flat bottom kettle. The kettle has two cast iron C handles and the interior in enameled in white. I am hoping to identify and find a date for this kettle.
The kettle measures 9-1/4" across at the lip, 8" across at the base & is 5-1/4" tall. On the side the kettle is marked 5.0 over C H with a pair of crossed hammers between the C and the H. Near one handle is an embossed E mark. The 5 measures 9/16" tall, the 0 is 1/2" tall, the C & H are both 1/4" tall, the crossed hammers are 7/16" tall and the E is 7/16" tall.
Here are links to photos of the kettle:
kett_zpsaec13517.jpg

kettmark_zps26b266e4.jpg


I would truly appreciate any information as to the maker, the date the kettle was made and if possible any idea what the kettle is worth. Thank you for you time and help.

Sincerely, Blake
 
I would go pull this piece from the electro tank ASAP, as the enamel will be taken off by the electrolysis. It would seem certain that this piece is pre-20th century, but who made it and precisely when we may never know. The markings, however, are distinctive enough that some info may be potentially found.
 
Dear Doug,
Thank you for the reply and the advice. I was concerned about the enamel so I coated it with Vaseline and put the kettle in the tank so that the open portion of the kettle faced the one side of the tank that has no steel just the plastic wall of the tub. I just checked it and the rust is gone from the cast iron but the enameling is intact.
Now I've just got to figure out the mark. The kettle was found in an area of Texas that was settled by German immigrants. Many people in the area still speak German today. I've seen the crossed hammers mark often used on 19th century porcelain from Bavaria and Austria. I'm going to start my search in that direction.

Thank you!

Sincerely, Blake
 
I have a similar pot but with no porcelain on the inside. It's early, bottom gated, and marked on the side with a 1-1/2. The top diameter is 6", pot is 3-5/8" high and the fat part of the pot is 6-1/4". No idea of maker but I am thinking european. I would love to see the pattern for my pot because I think it would be interesting to see how the handles are made in the mold. It looks like the handles fold out of the way when withdrawing the pattern from the mold and there are two "seams" right down the sides of the pot.
 
Dear Steve, Dave & All,
I did some more research on the mark on the kettle and found that it is German. I found a listing for an antique German Christmas tree stand with the same mark on etsy and a photo on google of a crank handle lidded coffee roasting pan with the same mark that had been posted to a yahoo forum asking for help with identification.
I was not able to find a site listing marks on German cast iron; I tried searches using the C H initials and crossed hammers as well as CXH along with German, Cast Iron, Kettle, Pot and Cookware in every permutation I could think of with no luck.
I'm hoping someone has a book or knows of a website that lists German cast iron marks and may be able to look the mark up. Again, any help will be deeply appreciated.

Yours, Blake
 
Hi Blake, I did some research on this piece as well. Sounds like you got more information than I did. Interesting about the Christmas tree stand. I did find some similar marked pieces on porcelain plates and dishes, not an exact match though.
 
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