Anyone heard of Descowar made in Belgium?

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SizzlininIN

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I was antiquing with a friend a few days ago and came across a gorgeous yellow covered pot. Kind of like a oblong dutch oven with handles. Anyway on the bottom it is imprinted with: Descowar Made in Belgium. Anyone know anything about this item?
I don't know if its an actual antique or worth anything but to me it looks absolutely perfect on my stove next to my burnt orange tea kettle.
 
I'm not familiar with the brand, but I'm curious as to the materials it's made of. Is it enamel covered iron? If so, it works wonderfully for cooking. Gratins, small pot roasts, mac and cheese, stew, you name it.
 
Yes. I am familiar with descoware. It is a brand of enameled cast iron cookware made in Belgium up until about the 1960's.

It is very similiar to Le Creuset and the company was purchased by Le Creuset, just like Le Creuset purchased the Cousances company.

Cousances was another line of enameled cast iron cookware made in France.

I own pieces of Descoware, Cousances, Le Creuset, and Copco enameled cast iron cookware in my house. They cook very much the same, although I prefer Copco.

Copco's cast iron was thicker, and the bottoms of the pots were cast iron, and not enamel. Too bad they are no longer made today.
 
Sizzlin, I do believe you are talking about Descoware from Belgium! It's enameled cast iron (it's heavy, right?) just like scott123 suggested...or at least the piece I have is. Pretty valuable stuff on ebay, I'd imagine.

I found this similar item for sale in a google search and thought you might find it interesting:

http://www.rubylane.com/shops/copper-maven/item/1952

Congrats on the find!!!
 
Thanks everyone for letting me know more about this piece. Its a piece I will treasure. I did see a Dansk dutch oven (Rachael Ray uses) recently at a flea market but it wasn't in the best of condition so I passed on it. I'm hoping to find a green piece of cookware next.
 
I just found a whole set of Descoware at the thrift store a week ago, orange/red, and i fell in love. I didn't know what it was, but i had my husband help me lug the oval dutch oven, large skillet with lid, medium saucepan with lid, small saucepan, and omelet pan, plus an extra large-sized lid, up to the register. ok so not a whole set but alot for $15 dollars! i haven't cooked in it yet, but it looks lovely in my retro orange kitchen! i have a question though. the dutch oven has alot of black...stuff around the top of the pot (outside) and handles. what is safe to use on the outside that won't scratch the paint? i've washed it, but i was afraid to get out the SOS pad.
 
Great find all. My mom used to use ALOT of that brands items and I have inhiereted a couple of pieces, along with alot of her native swedish tools.
 
brownbettie:

Put the stained pieces in a large plastic trash bag with a baking dish that has a couple of cups of ammonia in it. Leave it overnight outdoors (the smell is very strong). The ammonia fumes do the work.

That will soften the food residue and you will be able to scrub it off more easily. The porcelain enamel is very hard and SOS won't scratch it for a one time use.

Once you get it clean, Barkeeper's Friend and a blue sponge/scrubber will keep it clean as a whistle.
 
I'm envious brownbettie! Try what Andy said to do. I knowmany people have recommended the Bar Keeper Cleanser. If you have a Dollar General Store around they have it there....at least mine does for $1.00.
I did find a green enameled cast iron piece last year at a flea market....its avacodo green dutch oven with lid.... its made by Copco (Denmark). I had to carry it clean across the flea market before I made it to the car.....my arms ached so badly. I use this piece all the time as it sits proudly on my stove. I haven't used the Descoware piece for some time as the yellow color doesn't work with the color of my kitchen at the moment but I refuse to part with it.
Enjoy your new treasures!
 
thanks for the advice i'll have to try it. and i'm going back to that thrift store today to see if i missed anything. that lone lid is a mystery....
oh and i forgot i did try a pork roast and veggies in the oval dish, somehow i knew it would be ok in the oven, it came out lovely.
to think i was trying to get my husband to ok a set of Rachael Ray porcelain cookware just weeks ago...
 
Copco's cast iron was thicker, and the bottoms of the pots were cast iron, and not enamel. Too bad they are no longer made today.

Actually it turns out that it is made but probably not "your mother's Copco". I ordered some of Mario Batali's enamel cast iron ovens for christmas gifts and was surprised to see that they are Copco.
When I read this post it made me go check and indeed it is Copco--licensed (which I guess is "owned") by the Wilton Corp. And, as everything else, made in China.
 
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