Guardian Service Cookware Large Roaster Glass Lid EX

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For your consideration, this is a Guardian Service Large Roaster with Domed Glass Lid, the metal is very shiny, the interior is very clean and shiny, and the glass has no chips, really great condition for its age. The roaster measures 12.5" long (15" from handle to handle) and 10" wide, 4" high to the top of the pot, approx. 8" to the top of the lid. SEE MORE PICS BELOW.Guardian Service Cookware aka Guardian Ware is so durable and almost "bullet-proof", that a lot of it has survived the ages. All except for the glass lids, that is. But, many of the early metal lids are still around. THE HISTORY OF GUARDIAN SERVICE COOKWARE Guardian Service cookware (GS), aka Guardian Ware, is a highly sought after collectible these days. There are a variety of reasons: the heavy-duty construction of this hammered aluminum waterless cookware makes it almost "bullet-proof; the excellent way that the cookware prepares the food; and the nostalgia of cooking with the same type of cookware that your parents or grandparents did. The fact is, many of the pieces from the 1940's and 50's are still around, and people love it! Century Metalcraft Corporation of Los Angeles, California manufactured Guardian Service cookware from the mid 1930's until 1956, when the plant burned down. Independent salesman sold GS cookware similar to the way that Tupperware was sold during the 1960's. A hostess would host a party at their house, and invite several of their friends over. At these dinner parties, the GS salesman would prepare a delicious meal for the guests, all in hopes of selling them some of the GS cookware. GS cookware was considered to be an expensive set of cookware during the 1940's and 50's. It would cost about a month's pay to buy the full set. In today's dollars, that would be about $2,500! In many cases, the dinner party guests would only buy one or two pieces. GS cookware is constructed out of hammered aluminum, and is considered to be heavy-duty in contrast to today's cookware. During the pre-WWII years, this cookware had metal lids. But, because of the rationing during the War, the lids were then made from oven-proof glass. GS cookware has the trademark Knight's helmet (looking left) logo stamped on the bottom of the cookware. There were 3 different designs of the logo: One had the Knight's helmet and crossed swords, the next had the helmet and 2 stars on either side, and the last version had the helmet and 3 stars on either side. The glass lids also were etched with the Knight's helmet, but they also had crossed battle axes. As you can imagine, glass cookware lids (over 50 years old) in good condition, are not the easiest thing to find these days. Ones that are in excellent condition will bring $20 to $40 each on the online auctions. The early metal lids are getting harder to find, and bring high prices as well. One good thing to know, is that some of the lids are interchangeable with other GS cookware pieces; ingenuity and efficiency during a time when every penny mattered. The key to the excellent cooking qualities of GS cookware, is traced to its domed-lid construction. This waterless cookware utilized the high domed glass lids which are designed so that the food's moisture would condense while cooking, and then drip back down on the food. Plus, the patented bases of the GS cookware insured uniform heating of the food. T are a variety of sizes of GS cookware pots and pans, ranging from 1 quart to 4 quarts. Roasters, griddles, kettle ovens, beverage urns, and double boilers were also part of the collection. And, an unusual set of triangle-shaped pots known as the "Economy Trio" would cook vegetables in three pots on one burner! This was done by setting the three pots on a large trivet. One of the main selling points about GS cookware, was that it was "Dual-purpose cooking and table service equipment". You would cook your food in it, and then set it right on your table to serve from, on insulated trivets of course. The free listing tool. List your items f... read more

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