In addition to my obsession with vintage glassware (read
here) and my thing for china (read
here), I have recently started my search for this...
This is Guardian Service Cookware. The first time I had ever seen it was at my man's parent's house. At the time, I didn't get the opportunity to cook with it (his father was the "head chef") but I did notice that they were the only pots & pans his Dad used.
I did a little research on my own, and found out quite a bit...
"Century Metalcraft
Corporation of Los Angeles, California manufactured Guardian Service cookware
from the mid 1930s until 1956, when the plant burned down. Independent salesman
sold GS cookware similar to the way that Tupperware was sold during the 1960s.
A hostess would host a party at their house, and invite several of their friends
over. At these dinner parties, the GS salesman would prepare a delicious meal
for the guests, all in hopes of selling them some of the GS
cookware.
GS cookware was
considered to be an expensive set of cookware during the 1940s and 50s. It
would cost about a month's pay to buy the full set. In today's dollars, that
would be about $2,500! In many cases, the dinner party guests would only buy
one or two pieces."
You can read the complete run-down
here.
I found my first piece (pictured above) by chance at a local consignment shop recently. I'd been stalking Ebay for a while, but just couldn't justify the prices (combined with shipping) that were out there.
I paid $15.95 for the pot & lid and both are in mint condition. I've found several of the same, in worse condition, for sale for $35 to $45, so this was the deal goin' on!
But the best part is definitely in using it! We've gotten used to that oh-so-wonderful-Teflon (that is anything but!) and the over-priced celebrity chefs hawking their wares, that we often look past what was used in the past!
This stuff cooks like a dream (and food doesn't stick!). It's heavy, retains heat, and cooks more evenly (quicker) while being safe to use on the stove and in the oven.
The piece I have is one of a set of three, that when put together form a circle. The shop I found it in had 2 more pots (sans lids) for $9.95 each. I might have to go back and get them.... maybe Ebay has cheaper lids!
So what pages do YOU take out of someone's past?
