The heavyest item I ever found VERY EARLY

[csa1865]

When I found this , I started not to dig it . BUT wanted to know what is was . Nearly popped my ears it was so loud . It was about guessing 20 inches deep . It took forever to get it out the ground , and when I did , I had to leave and go get a hand cart . It weighs 108 lbs . It is about 2 inches thick . I think it maybe was a iron pot that was used at a cast iron foundry . The handle is ruff but you can still lift the pot by it . I did LOTS OF CLEANING with a wire brush on a drill over the years .. What ya think ?

 

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[ARC]

Cowboy cauldron

 

[ARC]

What you have is basically a cast iron bucket... very rare and very cool... worth a few bucks for sure.

 

[Kype]

Man you Carolina guys find all the good stuff. Nice find.

 

[releventchair]

I'm not thinking foundry ladle.
It would likely have refractory coating inside , a much stronger handle , (think generously thick flat stock instead of wire type bail) and a pour spout.
Should have traces or more of slag stuck on it too.
But , I've been wrong before!

Nice kettle (or whatever it is). Congrats.

 

[Inspector]

That's really cool, make a nice flower pot 8n the porch. Congrats on the save

 

[csa1865]

I have a collection of over 75 cast iron cauldrons , wash pot , iron buckets , etc . Some dating back to the 1700's . It does have slag on it . It was very rough when I dug it up . I probably cleaned off 5 or more lbs of rust off of it . I do NOT see it being a iron bucket . It is just to dang heavy . It had a heavy duty handle but it has rusted way a lot . You can still lift it up by it tho . There is just NO WAY a person could carry anything in it because it being so heavy . Me and my wife had to balance it on a scale , It weighed different each time we tried . It was between 108 lbs and up to 127 lbs . I have lots of hearth cooking tools and hangers , but there is no way a person could lift it up with something in it and hang it . I maybe wrong BUT I have been collection cast iron cauldrons and hearth cooking items for many years and I know ALOT about them and the history , BUT I have NEVER seen one this heavy !

 

[csa1865]

The bottom is about 3 inches thick . Don't know why they would have done that ! Maybe they had a newbie working that day . Anyway it is different but to heavy to move around . I have a RARE 55 gal. cast iron pot and it don't feel as heavy as this thing is .

 

[Plug N Play]

Alabama laundry ... 1934

 

[csa1865]

Got one nearly just like the one on the left , Same size . It's a big one . It is in the same place I had it unload about 15 years ago in my shop . It would be rough trying to dig one up this size !

 

[releventchair]

I have a collection of over 75 cast iron cauldrons , wash pot , iron buckets , etc . Some dating back to the 1700's . It does have slag on it . It was very rough when I dug it up . I probably cleaned off 5 or more lbs of rust off of it . I do NOT see it being a iron bucket . It is just to dang heavy . It had a heavy duty handle but it has rusted way a lot . You can still lift it up by it tho . There is just NO WAY a person could carry anything in it because it being so heavy . Me and my wife had to balance it on a scale , It weighed different each time we tried . It was between 108 lbs and up to 127 lbs . I have lots of hearth cooking tools and hangers , but there is no way a person could lift it up with something in it and hang it . I maybe wrong BUT I have been collection cast iron cauldrons and hearth cooking items for many years and I know ALOT about them and the history , BUT I have NEVER seen one this heavy !

Once heated , it would keep a porridge warm after the banked fire cooled. L.o.l..

That is a serious thickness. I've some iron too and see no home hearth use for it.

Maybe before ladles were lined, (my experience in a foundry is recent so don't know about long ago) they depended on mass to keep a pre heated "ladle"/pot and contents from cooling too much before a pour. (?)
Or ...If no lip on pot it , could have been ladled from for small castings; instead of pouring with it.

 

[csa1865]

sounds good to me !

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I think it maybe was a iron pot that was used at a cast iron foundry . The handle is ruff but you can still lift the pot by it . I did LOTS OF CLEANING with a wire brush on a drill over the years .. View attachment 1694073View attachment 1694074View attachment 1694075What ya think ?

Having worked at an iron foundry I can tell you they do not use iron pots. They make iron pots. Pour molten iron into an iron pot and you have an iron puddle.

Now, lead is melted in iron pots. Soup, stews, etc. as well.

 

[csa1865]

Could it be for lead then ? Why in the world would it be so heavy if it was for food ? Thanks for the info .

 

[RustyGold]

For a collector you couldn’t of found one more interesting and cool. If they had to keep the lead molten cause they were making bullets for an army maybe that would account for the thick bottom.

 

[csa1865]

That make sense ! Thanks

 

[csa1865]

Makes sense !

 

[Tony in SC]

I would say lead /melting pot. And very old. Looks like it was made for hanging but I have seen round bottom pots that sat in a "cradle".

 

[Reanm8er]

I believe a large lead pot designed to be nestled in the coals of a forge. That's why the bottom is so thick. The molten lead would have been dipped out with a cast iron ladle (like a big spoon). And that is exactly what you'd do to cast bullets, that's why no pour spout. Perhaps this is what hung from the large hook.

I expect lots of smiths made bullets as a lucrative sideline.

Best wishes and good luck!

 

[gunntekk1]

i married the heaviest item i've found lol