Help identifying and pricing an old kettle, pot and utensils.

R

RyanH

New member
Hello there! My first post here. I work in a metal recycling facility and come across a good bit of cast iron tubs, kettles, pots, pans, etc. I was hoping to get some information about a few pieces that came in recently. First is a kettle/cauldron that measures 16" in diameter and 14" tall. It has one broken foot. There's a 10 stamped on the bottom.

Second is a pot that measures 10" in diameter and 4.25" tall. Has "16" and "OVEN" on the bottom.

Lastly are some utensils that appear to be made in Taiwan. They measure 11" long.

Thanks in advance! I'm looking forward to learning about cast iron from this site!

Ryan
 

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Older pieces, those with the bottom gate marks and just generic markings, are usually impossible to identify. Long before the name brand makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were hundreds of foundries, large and small, as well as furnaces to smelt iron wherever resources like iron ore, limestone, and hardwood forest were available. Design and stylistic characteristics can sometimes narrow down an era of production or even a geographic area, but knowing who made these older pieces and when is often uncertain. Value is dependent upon condition, and, although rust and build up can often be removed, physical damage, repaired or not, will always detract from value.
 
My opinion,
1890 -1900's into the 1930's in the South. It is a number 10 wash pot. Pre 1890's did not have the number on the bottom. The sculpted "feet", if you will, is the hint of a pre 1900" wash pot. The cauldron style with the reinforced band in the casting, that is also a early trait. What bothers me is the number 10 on a cauldron style, medium, flare rimmed pot. 1890's due to the number 10, on an early style cauldron, or later. Wash pot, lard cracklins, chicken scalder, or who knows?? These were used in the non electrical southern states for generations.
Non typical compared to a common slick wall number 10, 20 or the famous 30 "black" pots that are now rotting in service as drilled flower planters. I may stand corrected, and I have many times, this is my opinion. Without the numbered bottom, I would push it to the pre 1850's due to the rounded suspension "ears" and the style.

The utensils are modern they came with a cradle horse hanging display.
I would like to see more pictures of the cauldron wash pot.
 
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Thanks for the extra pictures. I see some problems that influence the value of the cauldron. Large rust boils, cancer to cast iron, cracking of the rim, one foot is broken.
On another note I stand corrected on the number on the bottom. The cast iron identification guide by John Tyler, called the gray book, has a cauldron almost identical to yours on the bottom of page 54. Tyler gives the date between 1860 and 1890. Also like yours has dual gates.
 
Thank you so much for the information! Is there anything that I could do myself to restore it a bit? I'm sorry if there's a sticky or thread somewhere that explains this procedure. Any guess as to what the value of this cauldron is? Again, I really appreciate the knowledge that you all are giving me as a newbie into cast iron. I appreciate the time and effort that you all give.
 
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