HEAVY brass-plated cast iron dish!

[Bradley]

I like brass and copper so when I saw this large (12.5 inches across) cast plate that appeared brass and was EXTREMELY heavy, I bought it. It has obvious pitting from a sand casting, and I presumed that it was solid brass. Magnets do not stick to any of its surface -- except the b.b.-sized pit (seen here in an extreme closeup) which was big enough to be tested with a tiny magnet. The magnet stuck.

So my question is: Who the heck puts brass plating on a cast iron serving dish and why? Usually, brass isn't used as plating on anything is it? Or is the coating some sort of paint which would come off with paint thinner?

The only reason I do not think that the coating is painted on is that (lacking any paint thinner in the house at the moment) I have scrubbed a small sample area VERY VERY vigorously with steel wool and no paint is removed. The only effect is that the metal becomes brighter where I scrape it with steel wool.

And here is a really really silly question: This isn't gold plating is it? The only reason that I consider asking is that in the antique and thrift shops I haunt, I don't recall seeing brass as a plating metal.

[mart]

Not being able to see the plate from the side view,, is the outer rim curved toward the back ??  That is what it appears to be in this pic !!

[KevinM]

I see lots of things that are brass plated with an antique brass finish, jewelry for example. Perhaps that item is gold plated. If it was iron base metal then a magnet would stick wouldn't it?

[Bradley]

Mart, here is your side view. By the way, it feels VERY heavy like iron, and since that first post I have managed to get small magnets to stick to it, even the heavily-plated areas, so there is iron or steel in there someplace.

Kevin, I would be thrilled if it were gold plating, but I just can't see my luck being that good. LOL

[mart]

I do not think this is  a plate but rather a meat platter !!  Probably is cast iron with a tin, copper or  a mix of the two plating !!   These are heated pretty hot and used to keep meat sizzling and hot throughout a meal !!  I had  a set of cast aluminum meat platters used the same way !!  Thats my best guess !!

[Bradley]

Very nice to know that it is safe to eat from, because that is why I got it. I think it's BEAUTIFUL, and seriously, this thing must weigh at least 10 pounds. No joke. So the "keeping meat hot" theory makes a lot of sense: lots of thick metal to retain that heat.

Any idea how old it might be? I do a search for "brass plated iron" and come up with very little.

Also, why coat something with brass, rather than tin? I don't see brass as a plating very much these days except in cheap little modern day bracelets, watches and other accessories. I have NEVER before seen it on heavy cast-iron, but here it is! I am hoping someone will read those questions and have an answer that might include a date or location. As in "Oh, you have brass-plated cast iron? Well they were doing that in the XXXX region of XXXX during the late XXth century."

In this forum, you never know. There is a wide knowledge base here.

[cogar]

Also, why coat something with brass, rather than tin?

No need for “plating” a serving piece with tin.

And copper is for cooking …… and brass is for dinnerware (especially if you have gold plated silverware   ), to wit:



http://www.oempromo.com/Homecare-and-Houseware/Plates/

[Bradley]

No need for “plating” a serving piece with tin.

Photo from my own collection. All copper plated with tin, though the plating is fading on two of the items. The large plate is Turkish, the mug was made in England and the small plate is (according to the seller) U.S.-made.

[cogar]

Photo from my own collection. All copper plated with tin,

 

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plat·ing
1. the process of applying a thin coating of gold, silver, or other metal.
2. an outer covering of broad, flattish sections, typically of metal.
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Tin is a malleable, ductile and highly crystalline silvery-white metal.
Read more @  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin

[Bradley]

Sounds like you don't see the plating. Granted, it is quite faded and I do not have the best camera. Does this closeup of the large plate help?

[mart]

OK,,, A bit lost here !!  The point of the copper/tin plating is simply to make it look nicer on the table !!  I mean I have a lot of cast iron cookware but I do not use them for serving pieces !!  The copper/tin conbination would give this plate a brassy look which is what Bradley thought it was,, !! I have a solid brass sauce pan but I would not use it for cooking !!

[cogar]

The reason for my confusion. 

[mart]

Oh !!  I see now !!