Trying to figure out who made a particular pot or pan? Here are some starting points that might help you.

Field Guides

I have a growing set of pages about some of the more well-known European coppersmiths of the 19th and 20th century. I call them “field guides” to help you learn to spot them by their stamps and characteristics.

Stamps

When you have a piece of copper in front of you, the first thing to look for are stamps — words, numbers, logos, or symbols that were pressed into the copper. Stamps can help identify not only the maker of a pot, but also the time period in which it was made.

Here are some of the different types of stamps you might find.

• The maker of the piece
• The store that sold it
• Numbers for the size of the pan or to identify it (and its lid) in a busy kitchen
• The name or initials of a former owner

My Stamps page has a more detailed explanation of this, and links to posts that list the ones I know.

Construction

You can sometimes estimate the age of a pan by looking at the techniques used to make it. These techniques changed a great deal from the 19th and into the 20th century, and so understanding the approximate time window for the craftsmanship of your pans can help you date it.

Please see the Construction page to get started.