John A. Goewey Tea Kettle

[Jeffrey R.]

Went to an auction Saturday for just one item.

John A. Goewey Albany NY, Tea Kettle. Sorry but it does not have spider legs. It is sitting on a 3 legged hand forged trivet for the hearth. It came with the kettle from the same estate.

The kettle is made to fit in the eye of an early cook stove.

My question is what did they put on the cast iron kettles to keep the rust at bay. I do not believe they seasoned it, but did they use a stove polish. At some point in its life someone did paint it.

A little history from Steve Stephens Foundries list.

GOEWEY- J. A. GOEWEY (JOHN A. GOEWEY), ALBANY N.Y. (hollowware manuf. & dealers.
foundry- 140 Grand St., 1861-63. Shop- 20 Broadway, 1864-1879) (see also Corning &
Goewey)

from "A History of American Manufactures from 1608 to 1860":

"In addition to the Stove Foundries Albany has two manufactories of Hollow Ware, one of them ranking among the most extensive in the United States. Mr John A Goewey, the proprietor of this foundry, is the successor of Corning & Goewey who succeeded WC Noyes who commenced the business in 1853. His foundry possesses every convenience for an extensive business as will be inferred when we state that over 120 men are employed in it and about ten tons of iron are melted per day. Mr Goewey supplies not only the stove foundries of Albany and Troy but founders and dealers in other cities and in various parts of the country obtain their Hollow Ware from his establishment. His castings are said by competent judges to be fully equal to any made in the United States.

Before restoration photos.

 

[Bonnie Scott]

Hard water deposits act as a seasoning inside the kettle to prevent rust, I am not sure about the outside.

 

[Jeffrey R.]

The good thing about this kettle, very little Hard water deposits inside. Makes my job easier. There was a few spider webs. :chuckle:

 

[MikeZ]

Coincidence? I think not..

Jeff, about 10 minutes before I saw your post on the kettle, I was looking at my Goewey and thinking that I really should clean it up. I got it at a Cape Cod, Mass. yard sale this summer (for $22) and just put it on the shelf with the other kettles I have. Full disclosure here; it has a dime sized hole in the base and a long crack along one side. A handsome display piece, though, I think.

No idea on how they were treated. I'm doing mine in mineral oil as it'll just be a shelf piece.

I have another Albany kettle, which is intact; a S H Ransom & Co, patent date 1861. Hmm, I see on the foundry database there's at least a third kettle maker from Albany...

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Hi Mike, care to post a photo of your Goewey kettle, would love to see it. I am thinking that it is missing a wooden handle.

There was Corning & Goewey then John A Goewey believe to be the same company from Albany, NY. Is yours a John A Goewey?

Based on common finishes for kettles from the 1880s iron, galvanized or tinned, malaca, or nickel. I am leaning towards that this John A Goewey tea kettle was galvanized or tinned, not 100% which. You can see in my Before restoration photos, what looks like black paint. The kettle has been in my lye tank for a few days as I have been away and the paint is gone. I now see what I believe to be galvanized or tinned metal under the paint. In talking with someone of knowledge about this the iron kettles would have been seasoned from grease splatter on the cook stove, if not wiped down with some type of oil of fat and left to season.

This kettle will take a swim in my eTank and be seasoned.

 

[Mark H]

Thanks for posting this thread. Gives me a new perspective on the kettles. I have passed on many but now I am interested in their history

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Thanks for posting this thread. Gives me a new perspective on the kettles. I have passed on many but now I am interested in their history

Good for you. When you find one, would like to see it. :icon_thumbsup:

 

[W. Hilditch]

Mark, watch out for that gray book. It'll grab ya.

Hilditch

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Update.
Kettle spent a few days in my lye tank as I have been away. Took it out washed and dried it. The Finnish looks to be plain cast iron. As I earlier stated that the paint is gone from the lye bath, what I thought to be galvanized or tinned metal was the shiny spots under the paint. In fact it is just plain cast iron. It is in my eTank for a swim.

Someone took care of this kettle for a good long time. Looking at other items from the same estate, they treated all there things with care.

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Update.

Kettle spent 18 hours in my eTank, about ready for some seasoning.

 

[Jeffrey R.]

A thing of beauty.

I am not sure that a wooden handle was a part of this kettle. There is a line in the top of both sides of the kettle were the metal handle hit it over the years.

 

[Bonnie Scott]

That is pretty. Nice job cleaning it up.

 

[Jeffrey R.]

That is pretty. Nice job cleaning it up.

Thank you Bonnie. My wife thinks it is to pretty to sell, so it will sit next to the other smaller kettle that she snagged.

I am just glad I used heavy beams when I built my home. With all this iron I could have had some issues.:biggrin:

 

[MikeZ]

Great restoration job, Jeff. Yes, mine is a John A. Goewey and looks just like yours, except yours is intact and restored…

I'm wondering if that little hole in the cover by the "J" in John is actually a vent, and not a hole for a wooden knob. The hole in mine is tapered (as if it'd accept a flat head bolt) and I'd think if it was for a bolt going through a knob it'd be just a regular hole. I've only seen 3 Goewey's, all with this same hole.

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Great restoration job, Jeff. Yes, mine is a John A. Goewey and looks just like yours, except yours is intact and restored…

I'm wondering if that little hole in the cover by the "J" in John is actually a vent, and not a hole for a wooden knob. The hole in mine is tapered (as if it'd accept a flat head bolt) and I'd think if it was for a bolt going through a knob it'd be just a regular hole. I've only seen 3 Goewey's, all with this same hole.

Thank you.
No need for 2 handles on the cover, as it is a vent hole.

 

[Steven C]

I've really never paid much attention to tea kettles in the past because it was something I'd never have a use for. But I will say you have me thinking someday I may add one just for looks and display. I will admit that dose have a look to it that is very appealing to the eye. Thanks for posting and giving me a new perspective on tea kettles.


Steve,

 

[Jeffrey R.]

I've really never paid much attention to tea kettles in the past because it was something I'd never have a use for. But I will say you have me thinking someday I may add one just for looks and display. I will admit that dose have a look to it that is very appealing to the eye. Thanks for posting and giving me a new perspective on tea kettles.


Steve,

I like it when my posts are inspirational to others, as some are to me. Thank you.

 

[Sharon Shuman]

Beautiful restoration Jeffrey! I'd love to have such a teakettle--unfortunately our well water would trash it.:frown: I'm wondering if the handle is straight on top to make it easier to hang over a hearth? Just a thought.

 

[W. Hilditch]

I'm wondering if the handle is straight on top to make it easier to hang over a hearth? Just a thought.

My mechanical side says the straight is to provide leverage on the back of the hand when pouring from the pot. One made for hanging should look similar to this: ----^---- or rounded.

Hilditch

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Beautiful restoration Jeffrey! I'd love to have such a teakettle--unfortunately our well water would trash it.:frown: I'm wondering if the handle is straight on top to make it easier to hang over a hearth? Just a thought.

Thank you Sharon.
In the my first post I stated; The kettle is made to fit in the eye of an early cook stove.
If you look at the photo of the bottom in post #9, You can see how it sits down into the eye of the stove.