The Cornerstone: Chamberlain & Co. No. 8 Cast Iron Tea Kettle
The Cornerstone of the SSC collection: a Chamberlain & Co. No. 8 tea kettle bearing the June 23, 1863 date of U.S. Patent No. 38,972 by Barney H. Menke. This piece revealed a patent licensing network spanning five manufacturers across three states — an SSC original research discovery.
The A.G. Patton Cast Iron Tea Kettle
A Columbus foundryman who didn't just cast iron — he engineered it. Three steam vents cast directly into the lid pattern, a gate mark dating it to the 1870s or 1880s, and a name that connects Columbus to the Favorite dynasty.