Does anyone know anything about it?

[tncruzin]

I need some help from someone.  We're trying to find information on a cast iron pot.  Cast into the bottom of the pot is Confederate States of America, 1863. This is the only markings we can find. I've been told the pot may be a Scotch Bowl.  It looks like it would hold about 1 gallon.  I have pictures from various angles including the bottom but they are too large to post here.  Let me know if you'd like to see them and I will e-mail.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Kenny

[C. B. Williams]

Welcome Kenny: I would love to see those pics. I don't know the foundry that made this item, but you will probably find out something about it here. my email is: cbwill2@comcast.net  BTW, There is a rule here that everyone must use his/her real name when signing up. thanks, C. B. Williams

[C. B. Williams]

Thanks for the pics. Kenny. That is a first for me. The casting looks a little crude, but I would expect that because it was probably made strictly for utilitarian purposes. The south was in a very bad time and trying to save itself from invading yankees. Someone here might know for sure, but, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that the Confederate States contracted with more than one foundry to make the necessary items needed to fight a war. You might have an item of interest to collectors of confederate, or civil war stuff.

[tncruzin]

Great thanks for the info C.B. I'm still hoping someone can give me more details on what it was designed for, who made it, and a value.  Any idea what something like this would be worth?

[Greg Stahl]

CB, can you decrease the size of the pix to under 100kb and post them?  If not forward to me and I'll post/resize.

[Greg Stahl]

Haven't seen this one before.

[Greg Stahl]

Kenny, please email me pix of the ears, as that can help date these scotch bowls.

[Greg Stahl]

These look like 20th century ears to me, but Steve will be able to say more.  Bail is not from 1860's that is for sure.

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Looks like a lunch time recast to me with an emplyee displaying some southern pride. It would be impossible to figure out who made it without documentation.

Someone could have taken a regular scotch bowl and filled in the rim (or ring) with something/anything and then engraved the lettering, (looks handwritten) and then used it as a pattern.

All just guessing though.   

[Steve_Stephens]

If a piece dating to the civil war I would think it would have a gate mark on the bottom.  And those ears were patented by Griswold in 1891 so that says it's a 20th century piece.  It's too heavy and rough to be an early piece and just doesn't have the "look" of early iron.  My guess would be mid-20th century.  I've never seen one before and can't tell you anything more about it.  Were a small batch of these made up by some Civil War buff for use in reenactments?  Scotch Bowls seem to have had a number of general uses.  Value?  $5 to, possibly, over $100 if someone thought it was old and a real Civil War piece.

Steve

[tncruzin]

Gee thanks for busting my bubble Steve! Worth as much as $5 huh? Just kidding....thanks to everyone for helping me figure this thing out. The pot belongs to my Dad and we were hoping that it might be worth several million...Ha!  I guess we'll have to settle for $5.  We'll probably place it on E-Bay.  Things tend to sell for more than they are worth there.

Thanks again,

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Kenny,
I don't think he was trying to bust your bubble. I do agree with his decription though. I highly doubt this had anytime on any confederate battlefield.  It is more likely a nolvelty someone made.  I suspect you'll get a little more than $5.  from a reenactor or as a conversation piece.
Troy

[tncruzin]

I know he's not Troy....I was just kidding. Naturally we had hoped it may be authentic but if it's not it's not! You guys have been a great wealth of information and I appreciate it.

[Dennis McCoy]

I would like to resurrect this thread, as I too have purchased one of these. It was purchased at a Memphis estate sale on Monday, found covered in debris under the garage workbench.
Mine is very similar to the one posted here 10 years ago. The bail is replaced with heavy copper wire.

[Chris Stairs]

Hi Dennis,

Welcome to WAGS!

How cool is it that you can find stuff like this after 10 years. And the picture Greg linked in reply #7 is still there too. I love it when new folks come along and dig this stuff up.

Just so you know, even though there is a huge database of info here to search or browse through, it is only a small portion of what is available to full fledged WAGS members.

 As for your pot I think Steve Stevens nailed it in his post back in 2004. Say, if you do clean it up, could you come back and post some nice pics. There can't be many out there for 10 years to pass between inquiries.

Chris