Hello Stuart. Yes I have seen these before. I have cooked several times in mine. They perform beautifully. There are pictures here on the forum of mine in action. There is also a little sister size 16 that looks exactly like this only smaller. Where they are made or who made them I have no clue. I do have a couple of the sixteens also. I don't know how much they are worth. I gave two hundred plus for mine. I am just guessing but I think it's a good possibility they were made down South somewhere because that's where I have seen them and that's where mine came from. And you sure need the assist tab to pick it up flat. I weighed mine once and I think it weighs around thirty five pounds, maybe a tad more. They are a beast. I used mine here awhile back to fry sixty plus pounds of sausage for a sausage and pancake breakfast fundraiser. I know it's not much information but it's the best I can do. :)
