This pot type was intended to braise something as big as an entire ham, and I believe this one could do it.

• Type: Tin-lined ham braiser in hammered finish with brass handles fitted with copper rivets
• French description: Jambonnière ovale en cuivre étamé et martelée avec poignées en laiton munies de trois rivets en cuivre
• Dimensions: 50cm long by 33cm wide by 29cm high (19.7 inches long by 12.8 inches wide by 11.4 inches high)
• Thickness: 2.5mm at rim
• Weight: 11204g (24.7 lbs) without lid, 13490g (29.7 lbs) with lid
• Stampings: “50” on pan and lid
• Maker and age estimate: Unknown; early 20th century, perhaps 1930s?
• Source: RubyLane

Oval pans like this are hard to make, and when they are, they’re done entirely by hand. This is a serious restaurant piece and it’s been kept in pretty good shape, I would guess, judging from its good structural integrity (no dents on the body or lid). The seller’s photo is below and you can see that it looks pretty good.

I asked the seller to send the pot directly to Erik Undiks at Rocky Mountain Retinning, and Erik did a fabulous job with it.

This shape seems to capture light and hold it, like a crystal glass illuminates water.

There are no maker’s marks on this pot, which means it could be very old, or perhaps was made by special order for a specific customer and the maker saw no need to brand it. All I can find is “50” on the body and the lid — appropriate to identify the two parts of this 50cm pot.

This is a collector piece more than a routine cooking piece and I have it on display on a shelf where it can catch and reflect light from the whole room. I’m happy to have it and happy that Erik at Rocky Mountain worked on it, as I think it’s in gorgeous shape and will be well-kept and preserved for generations to come.