Author Topic: wagner cast iron teapot? (Read 10315 times)

stsmeby · « **on:** August 02, 2009, 10:04:17 PM »

Hello - I have a wagner toy or sample teapot, but am not sure of the material. It is magnetic, so not aluminum, and appears to be a casting; but, it is not dark like cast iron. It has a medium gray patina, except on the bottom where someone may have tried to polish it; the bottom is silver colored. Could it be some type of cast steel? The only markings are on the lid, which has a porcelain handle & slides sideways: WAGNER MFG CO SIDNEY.O. It has a bail handle; not incl. the handle it's 3.5" tall. Any help would be appreciated, I don't collect wagner (yet)!

Will Person · « **Reply #1 on:** August 02, 2009, 10:16:59 PM »

Susan welcome.

First, the toy cast iron tea kettle was highly reproduced. You could have a reproduction. But you state that it looks silver color. Wagner and other cookware makers plated there stuff with nickel. It gave it a silver color, like a nickle, 5 cent piece. If a magnet sticks, it is cast iron.

Look at this page and see if you have a reproduction, and post a picture of it.

http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/information/Repros/Wagnerteapot.html

Will 8-)

stsmeby · « **Reply #2 on:** August 02, 2009, 10:58:18 PM »

It looks like the "real" teapot - very smooth, fine casting, small porcelain knob - but only the top piece has the lettering, there is none on the bottom. It is definitely magnetic, so must be cast iron; you may be right about the nickel plating, that could account for the dull patchy silver-gray color on top and brighter silver on the bottom. I don't know much about Wagner, but have seen plenty of repro cast iron pieces of other items, and they all seem crappy compared to the originals. I think this is truly old - so did the manager of the multi-dealer flea market where I bought it for $50 - tried to buy it from me!! Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera, just a scanner, as I collect/buy/sell postcards, and that is all I need. If you really want a picture, I can have a friend take one for me. Thanks for your help!

Harry Riva · « **Reply #3 on:** August 03, 2009, 12:52:37 AM »

Will, I think there is an early Wagner child's tea kettle marked around the lid with the wording she describes and I think at least some of them were plated. I do not recall if the bottom was unmarked but with the top markings I'm leaning that way. I don't own one but I'm almost positive I've seen them before and they are early and HTF.
Harry

Will Person · « **Reply #4 on:** August 03, 2009, 07:30:19 AM »

Quote

Will, I think there is an early Wagner child's tea kettle marked around the lid with the wording she describes and I think at least some of them were plated. I do not recall if the bottom was unmarked but with the top markings I'm leaning that way. I don't own one but I'm almost positive I've seen them before and they are early and HTF.
Harry

I can't find any info on that one you mention. Looked though my reprints and haven't had luck. Anyone else??? Wish Susan could post a picture. That would solve it right away.

Will 8-)

Will Person · « **Reply #5 on:** August 05, 2009, 05:48:12 PM »

Will Person · « **Reply #6 on:** August 05, 2009, 05:48:33 PM »

Will Person · « **Reply #7 on:** August 05, 2009, 05:48:53 PM »

Will Person · « **Reply #8 on:** August 05, 2009, 05:49:44 PM »

Well, I think it is real. Has anyone seen a Wagner toy marked on the top???

Will 8-)

Jeff Seago · « **Reply #9 on:** August 05, 2009, 07:27:28 PM »

That is the mark that I thought she was talking about. I have seen one marked just like that. I cannot for the life of me remember where but I remember it because they wanted $200 for it and I had just bought my Wagner toy for $20 so I laughed. If you had that in your hands you would know without a doubt that the quality is too good for it to be a fake.

stsmeby · « **Reply #10 on:** August 05, 2009, 10:54:35 PM »

I thought the quality was too good for a repro too. I don't know whether I will keep or sell the teapot, but would like to know how old it is, and how to clean it. There is light surface rust on the inside that I was going to steel-wool, and some very light rust on the outside that should come off very easily. Should it be oiled or treated with anything? Thanks for all the help & advice.

Jeff Seago · « **Reply #11 on:** August 05, 2009, 11:20:30 PM »

Well I can tell you that the rust on the inside must have come from the factory because every darn teapot I have ever seen has that damn rust in it!!! If it is really light like you say you are lucky. The one bad thing is that the piece does appear to be plated and where there is rust then the plating is gone. I would not be afraid to oil the piece after you get it clean, I would probably use mineral oil on it but I have to look back on Perry's old threads and find out how to do it or if it would work on this piece.

Perry if you read this can you weigh in on mineral oil?? Or anyone else that has experience with mineral oil??

If you sell it IMO it is worth about $50 IMO, I am not sure on this one because this is not as common as the uncommon bottom marked one. That is the only reason that I put it at $50. The plating really hurts these old pieces because it has to be in mint condition to be worth the money. The bottom marked ones have been selling really cheap lately, around $50 or a little more sometimes, that is how I justify the price of this one.

C. B. Williams · « **Reply #12 on:** August 06, 2009, 02:35:05 AM »

Susan: The rust on the inside of your teapot is there because cast iron being cast iron will rust if not treated with some type oil (like mineral oil) or other coatings (like chrome or nickle) just from being exposed to the humidity in the air. Boiling water based liquids will greatly speed up this process because of the very high moisture levels it was exposed to. Kind of like steam cleaning something. I think this is the reason we see so many aluminum tea pots. Since this is a toy and not going to be used, I would give it a good cleaning and then treat it with mineral oil. It doesn't have to be heated, just get it dry and rub the mineral oil on. Mineral oil is odorless, colorless, and tastless and will protect the surface from oxidation, (rust). I use mineral oil on all my pieces that are not to be cooked in.

Greg Stahl · « **Reply #13 on:** August 06, 2009, 07:18:14 AM »

That is a HTF piece, IMO. I believe I have only seen one before and it is an early piece, IMO

Will Person · « **Reply #14 on:** August 06, 2009, 07:28:57 AM »

Quote

That is a HTF piece, IMO. I believe I have only seen one before and it is an early piece, IMO

I have never seen one. I didn't even know they existed. It is very early, as all the catalogs don't show this one.

Will 8-)

Harry Riva · « **Reply #15 on:** August 06, 2009, 11:02:32 AM »

Yep, That's the one I was thinking of in my earlier post. . Tough tough piece to find. Jeff, I think the value is a good bit north of $50.

Harry

Greg Stahl · « **Reply #16 on:** August 06, 2009, 11:52:08 AM »

I agree with Harry, I would say well north of $50

Jeff Seago · « **Reply #17 on:** August 06, 2009, 11:59:43 AM »

Harry if they are as hard to find as you guys say they are then you are right about that. Would they be classified as rare (meaning virtually impossible to find)??

I am under the assumption that this is a remake of the Sidney toy tea kettle and would have been produces shortly after they were bought by Wagner at the turn of the century??

Greg Stahl · « **Reply #18 on:** August 06, 2009, 12:07:59 PM »

Jeff,
I agree with your analysis

stsmeby · « **Reply #19 on:** August 06, 2009, 04:42:26 PM »

I didn't realize the teapot was such a rarity when I began asking questions! And if a toy is that heavy, I don't know if I could lift a full size one with water in it. From what I've read, Wagner bought Sidney around 1897; would it date from shortly after that?
If your group has a museum, I'd consider donating it - I'm on the board of 2 historical associations here, wrote a couple of books on the Adirondack Mts, and would be glad to help another historical society.

Sue Smeby

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Author Topic: wagner cast iron teapot? (Read 10315 times)

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