On Jan 23, 2:18 pm, "Chris Marksberry"
> wrote:
> > I was googling 'large granite ware roaster' that Wayne said, "I still have
> > a large granite ware roaster that I use for a lot of things.
>
> > and I come up with this blogspot page with all the rfc postings.
> > Is this an rfc page?
>
> > I don't get it.
>
> > 'Anyway,' I was wondering because some refer to a 'granny speckled
> > roaster.' I've never heard it called that either. Or is large granite and
> > granny speckled the same item?
> > Thanks.
> > Dee Dee
>
> Here's a picture of Graniteware.
>
> http://www.goodmans.net/search.asp?t=m&m=97
>
> I believe Graniteware is a brand name, but the description is porcelain on
> steel cookware... it is the speckled-looking cookware.
>
> I have a small oval roaster that was my mother's, but sadly it had begun to
> rust and I can't locate a replacement.
Granite ware is a generic term for utilitarian items made of stamped
metal (as opposed to molded or cast iron) and coated with enamel. It
was available from many different manufacturers and made in many
different countries starting in the 19th century. It is still being
made, but the newer stuff I've seen doesn't compare in quality to the
old stuff. The older stuff was highly collected in the 1980's.
Color and pattern made some of it more desirable (and pricier), but
whether it was speckled, splotched, hombre, or solid, it was all
called Granite ware.
It was bread and butter for an antique dealer - you could buy it for
next to nothing at estate sales and the more charming & decorative
pieces sold like hotcakes at some pretty stiff prices. For a while
there, everybody seemed to want cute old Granite ware coffee pots,
bread boxes & spice racks...even ladles & muffin tins were big
sellers.
Although most customers bought for decorative use, I remember one
woman who went weak in the knees over a vibrant dark cobalt blue
roasting pan. She planned to cook her Thanksgiving turkey in it.
Unfortunately the bubble burst in the early '90's when a major
collector published a price guide with values that were simply insane.
People got greedy & it soured the market. Prices crashed, but not
until most collectors had been permanantly scared away. Her lovely
(but acursed) book is still available on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Collectors-Enc...Colors-Shapes/
dp/0891455345/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201155566&sr=1-1
If you're serious about replacing, your best bet is ebay - look for an
old one in mint condition - they do show up and you won't be paying a
small fortune for it. The metal on the older pieces was heavier guage
than what you're likely to find on a new piece and a new one just
won't cook like your Mom's.
Never heard the term Granny ware used - sounds like it might just be a
sloppy pronunciation of Granite ware or something a modern
manufacturer came up with to sound folksy.
Nancy T