Old Asian Bronze or Brass Pot (Updated Title)

[KevinM]

Here's another thrift store purchase from a few weeks ago that I've been trying to find and figure out a few things about. I have found some similar pots but not really like this one so its a bit hard to identify it.

This pot is about 6 inches tall and about 8 inches wide in the center. It weighs in at a hefty 4 1/2 pounds. It seems to be made out of bronze but could be brass and is lined with I think tin. It is engraved or hammered in with some patterns and floral designs that I can't identify. There are no makers marks on the pot that I can identify.

What I would like to know is what type of metal is it bronze or brass (I think it's bronze... maybe...)? I do think the inside is lined with tin. What time period would this be from? I'm thinking that since it's tin lined then perhaps early 1900's or late 1800's? Also, where is this from (Asia, China, Japan, Taiwan etc..)? In addition, what might be the approximate value of this pot.

Thanks!
Kevin

Note: Updated Title - Should have read "Old Asian Bronze or Brass Pot" not "Old Asian Bronze or Copper Pot"

[cogar]

Me thinks it's brass.

Normally, .........

Brass items are thin and lite weight and made from sheets of metal.

Bronze items are thicker and heavier in weight and made by pouring hot metal into a mold.

[KevinM]

Thanks cogar, I'm leaning on brass too. Although, this is a thick and heavy pot (4 1/2 pounds at just 6 inches in height and 8 inches wide). Also, the bottom is very thick and seems to have been molded but that could have come with banging around with age.

There also seems to be some copper mixed in with the metal that can be seen in areas around it. It can be seen in the 2nd to last photo towards the center and lower right and lower towards the base. With a molding process would a mixture of copper show up?

The neck of the pot seems to be more bright like brass, was probably shined up at some point, exposed less to the elements and/or used to grabbed around to pick it up.

I suspect this pot was originally made to hold water and used daily as perhaps a water pot although its heavy weight of 4 1/2 pounds puzzles me about that.

[wendy177]

  I'm with cogar Yes Brass  from India for tourist trade    Search Brass pots from India and you will find hundreds like yours.

[KevinM]

Thanks wendy177, I originally thought that it may be a tourist pot too. But after further inspection the thing that puzzled me in addition to the heavy 4 1/2 pound weight of the pot was the thick tin coating applied to the inside of the pot. Perhaps it was originally sold as both a tourist pot and for local use. I don't think this is a newer pot. Here's a picture of the inside of the pot included below.

[mart]

Tin lined would likely be a cooking pot !!  Might also be lead !! Is it soft inside like lead ??  Lead would not be pure but mixed metal depending on its use !! 

[KevinM]

mart, I often get confused with the tin and metal lining in these pots. I think it has a smoothness like that of a fishing sinker but it's not as soft as one (scrap off or scratch easily with your finger nail). If you rub your finger on it a bit you can feel a light coating of it on your finger.

[cogar]

If it is a brass cooking pot it wouldn't need or have a tin lining.

Me thinks the material inside the pot is remenents of what the previous owner was "melting", "storing" or "cooking" in that pot.

Maybe it is lead that was being melted in that pot but the person who was doing it couldn't figure out how to "pour" it out of there after it got melted and it adhered to the brass ...... just like lead solder will.

[KevinM]

Me thinks that brass and copper cookware are lined with tin because they can develop verdigris which is a highly poisonous substance.

[cogar]

I guess lining them with tin would be a good idea for use by those who never wash their pots n' pans. That verdigris stuff would probably accumulate enough to be dangerous after a month or so. Anyway, to wit:

The Cooking Pot Dilemma

Some Cookware is Safer and Healthier Than Others

Aside from the slim possibility of leaching metals, new research suggests that copper may be a better choice for cookware than stainless steel. According to a team of researchers from the University of Southampton in England, using copper pots may lower the risk of infection from potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli 0157.

Read more @  http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/0112/pots.htm

[mart]

Thats correct Kevin !! And copper cannot be used with many foods !! Anything with a high acid content reacts with the copper !!  Brass has been known to leach out toxic chemicals into the food at certain temperatures !!  Think I will stick with stainless and cast iron !!

[KevinM]

mart, I'm with you on that one. I've never used the copper cookware, or brass for that matter and probably never will. I've always considered them more for show/decoration than anything else. I guess they lined them with tin to be on the safe side in the old days since a lot of places didn't have running water, etc... Couldn't give them a good cleaning right away or cleaned them when they got around to it. Nothing like a good old cast iron frying pan! I prefer stainless steel cookware though (and they get a good washing right away after using them).

[Rauville]

I wonder if your pot would be called a "lota"?

http://www.indiancookingguide.com/brass-or-copper-lota.html

[KevinM]

Rauville, it certainly could be called a lota. The description that site gave covers just about all the uses the pot could be used for including what I originally thought "water pot". I would call this a fancy or decorative one which makes some sense since it may be used at the dining table on a daily basis to hold water or used to hold other things for other Indian rituals..

It does make sense that there are a lot of these around since they were passed down from generation to generation. It's also possible that the tin lining could have been added at a later date for protection from developing verdigris.

[mart]

Excellent Rauville !!  Karma point for you !!  Certainly is the right shape !!