It’s not pretty, but it commands a place on the living room wood stove…
Since 1990, it’s been a steamer to keep moisture in the air… and for Dad to have hot water to shave with…
It shows marks from its long use within the family… I’m the 4th generation to use it…
There’s no way I know to age it…. It’s a #8…
Lonestar Grillz 24x36 offset smoker, grill, w/ main chamber charcoal grate and 3 tel-tru thermometers - left, right and center
Yoke Up custom charcoal basket and a Grill Wraps cover.
22.5 copper kettle w/ SnS, DnG, BBQ vortex, gasket and stainless steel hinge kit.
Napoleon gas grill (soon to go bye bye) rotting out.
1 maverick et-733 digital thermometer - black
1 maverick et-733 - gray
1 new standard grilling remote digital thermometer
1 thermoworks thermopen mk4 - red
1 thermoworks thermopop - red
Pre Miala flavor injector
taylor digital scale
TSM meat grinder
chefs choice food slicer
cuisinhart food processor
food saver vacuum sealer
TSM harvest food dehydrator
Pit Barrel Cooker
Blaze 32" Gasser with Sear Station and Rotisserie
Jenn-Air 6 Burner w/ Dual Oven and Stainless Flat Top
Camp Chef Explorer 60EX with Grill Box and Griddle
Thermoworks Thermapen Mk4
Maverick ET-733 2-Probe Wireless Thermometer
Thermopro TP20 2-Probe Wireless Thermometer
Anova 900W Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Selection of Grandma's Antique Cast Iron Cookware
Bayou Classic Stainless Steel Oyster/Turkey Cooker
Weber Standard Size Chimney Starter
Foodsaver Vac Sealer
We used that same kettle - or one very similar, I can remember the shape of the spout - as a steam humidifier on top of an Oak Stove wood burner when I was a kid... memories!
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1 Karubeque C-60 Kamado Joe Jr. (Black) Lodge L410 Hibachi Pit Barrel Cooker Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
Pit Barrel PBX
R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer *******************************************. Thermometers
FireBoard (Base Package)
Thermoworks ThermaPen (Red)
Thermoworks MK4 (Orange)
********************************* Accessories Big Green Egg Plate Setter
Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2 Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife Dexter 12" Brisket Sword Global Shun Wusthof ********** Next Major Purchase Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
Can you take some pictures of the underside, the lid and the inside for me? I might be able to date this thing for you. Typically, these have markings on the bottom or on the lid to give some indication. I would guess that this is a Wagner Kettle from circa 1935.
Like I said, probably from the 1930's. Many of these were made in China at that time.This model with the locking lid combo, through the wire handle were quite common. If it has a marking on the lid, it was made here. Wagner did do private label casting as well, with no markings. That being said, it could be much older, like mid to late 1800's! Few companies put any markings on their pot or pans back then.
What is interesting, if it is labeled "Made In China".....many pieces did not put that on their castings so manufacturers could pass it off as MADE IN USA. During the 1960's cast iron pieces started to cast MADE IN USA on their casting to prove they were made in the USA. (Volrath, Lodge, and Wagner specifically)
Wagner did make one very similar to this one. But the name was cast into the lid, so you might be able to see that or not, but a pic of the top of the lid would help. Sometime they are covered in carbon or rust, so it makes it tough to tell if there is a name of mark on the lid.
Spinaker …
The earliest ancestors to own it, according to my grandfather, we’re his parents… His father’s dates are 1845 - 1925…
Probably few Chinese pieces in Appalachia during those days… but there were local foundries… and iron ore on his father’s land… His dates are 1809 - 1891…
Yeah, if it goes back that far, I doubt it is a Chinese casting. I do not think it is a Wagner as they have different lid. I have seen this exact one, but it does not have markings either. I will have to do some more digging.
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1 Karubeque C-60 Kamado Joe Jr. (Black) Lodge L410 Hibachi Pit Barrel Cooker Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
Pit Barrel PBX
R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer *******************************************. Thermometers
FireBoard (Base Package)
Thermoworks ThermaPen (Red)
Thermoworks MK4 (Orange)
********************************* Accessories Big Green Egg Plate Setter
Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2 Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife Dexter 12" Brisket Sword Global Shun Wusthof ********** Next Major Purchase Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
So this is an educated guess but I believe this was made in the mid 1800's by Giles F. Filley's Excelsior Stove Works, St. Louis, MO.
There is a gate mark from where the casting was knocked out of the block after the molding was removed. This was very typical for castings in the 1800's. If you restore this piece to original condition, you will most likely see this on the underside of the kettle. It will run perpendicular to the spout, across the bottom. There should also be an embossed casting code letter, many have "G' listed as this was the casting mark for these kettles in the Excelsior Stove Works.
Another sign that this is Excelsior Stove works is that little crown (which I failed to notice when I first looked at this piece) on the lid, opposite the spout. That is a brand marking of Excelsior Stove Works.
In my Vintage cast iron almanac, it says that this piece was more than likely cast between 1837-1852. A real gem and piece of history right there! Ugly history can sometimes hide a gem within. You should restore this piece and give it a good seasoning, she will shine up like new, yet still hold those little indications that this is a truly vintage piece from a bygone era.
This is what makes cast iron collecting so interesting. What other things do you own that can be this old and be restored into working order? Not to mention the family connection......you can use this just like your relatives did all those years ago!
No, you could keep the handle on. There would be no issue with that. I would not remove it because in order to do so, you would have to bend the coil a little bit, and it might be brittle and snap. jfmorris
I guess then you would just dangle the lid down by the side of the kettle from the handle during the bath, so that all those edges of the kettle and lid can get cleaned up?
I would try to open the lid as much as possible and get it out of the way of the kettle. The lid would be done way before the kettle, but it would not matter. You would want to rig it up so the lid stayed open and allowed the rust to travel out of the kettle more easily. Pieces like this can be tricky, but they are 100% doable, it just takes a little finagling. jfmorris
I'm glad you have the almanac, Spinaker ... That's remarkable! and fits with family folklore...
I live on family property... the old stone works in the background of the first photos is the foundation of the grist mill that my great-grandfather owned and operated before turning over the miller’s work to my grandfather... It's nothing but stacked stone... with no mortar of any kind... This puts it very old too... as settlers going way back used clay/mortar in their chimneys...
I have long pondered cleaning the old kettle, but don't want to remove any of the carbon... That carbon has developed over a vast period of time,from sitting next to spiders in a fireplace and later skillets on a wood stove, splattering grease on the kettle...
I think I will pick an obscure spot and begin oililng it to stop the corrosion and maintain the carbon...
We have never hesitated to use it... which is why it looks like it does...
Thanks for looking this up for me... and passing the history on...
It is priceless and obviously will remain in the family...
Last edited by Washblue; January 4, 2023, 12:03 PM.
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