I saw this DO cover at an antique store, and recognized the shape as being like that of the old Wagner "turtle back" style. It was sitting on a DO with no discernable markings, but which was also reminiscent of Wagner. The lid was unmarked, other than an 8 on the underside at 6 o'clock, and with "PAT. DEC. 4 - 17." below it.
While that patent date, corresponding to US1249023, occurs on many Wagner Drip Drop Roaster covers, it is usually followed by three others: Feb. 10, 1920 (US1330209), March 8, 1921 (US1370863) and March 14, 1922 (US1409262).
The first one, US1249023, as seen on the found cover, is not a Wagner patent, but rather that of Felix A G Busse, whose Sanitary Steam Cooker was the first to patent the idea of physical protrusions on the concave underside of a cooking vessel cover to condense steam and allow it to drop back onto the cooking food.
The second, US1330209, was held by Charles A. Massing, who actually worked for Griswold and assigned the patent to them. It improved on the earlier patent by using concentric rings as drip structures.
The third, US1370863, was filed by and awarded to Bernard P. Wagner, and substituted conical nubs for rings.
Finally, with US1409262, Wagner was awarded the patent on the concentric zig-zag rings seen on their covers.
Unfortunately, none of these patents tells us who made the found cover, whose drippers consisted of a circle of 9 dimples with a single dimple in the center, although by the shape and by the lettering style of the patent date, it would be very tempting to guess it might be Wagner.
While that patent date, corresponding to US1249023, occurs on many Wagner Drip Drop Roaster covers, it is usually followed by three others: Feb. 10, 1920 (US1330209), March 8, 1921 (US1370863) and March 14, 1922 (US1409262).
The first one, US1249023, as seen on the found cover, is not a Wagner patent, but rather that of Felix A G Busse, whose Sanitary Steam Cooker was the first to patent the idea of physical protrusions on the concave underside of a cooking vessel cover to condense steam and allow it to drop back onto the cooking food.
The second, US1330209, was held by Charles A. Massing, who actually worked for Griswold and assigned the patent to them. It improved on the earlier patent by using concentric rings as drip structures.
The third, US1370863, was filed by and awarded to Bernard P. Wagner, and substituted conical nubs for rings.
Finally, with US1409262, Wagner was awarded the patent on the concentric zig-zag rings seen on their covers.
Unfortunately, none of these patents tells us who made the found cover, whose drippers consisted of a circle of 9 dimples with a single dimple in the center, although by the shape and by the lettering style of the patent date, it would be very tempting to guess it might be Wagner.