Manufacturers in the 19th century produced a huge number of cast iron pans, and they were largely considered to be disposable throwaway items in those days. But because they were made from cast iron, many of these pieces survived to the 20th century and beyond, and even today it's not difficult to find these American antiques at flea markets, antique stores, and of course on eBay. Antique vendors often stick a high price on these pieces because they're old, but some kinds are actually quite common, and you've probably already seen these generic frying pans with teardrop shaped handles, or even these spider skillets that were used everywhere before cooking stoves became popular in the later 1800s. These stovetop kettles can be found everywhere, though many of them have the bottoms rusted out or have holes punched into them to make them into planters. If you're lucky enough to one and use one or more of these 19th century antiques, you've got a special piece of American history that has been mostly forgotten, but it's something that deserves to used regularly, and especially to be remembered.
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