Neu Deel Cookin Ware
I find this “Neu Deel Cookin Ware” earthenware baking dish intriguing because it has so much decoration and design for a dish with such a simple purpose. It obviously was made for use in the oven and has a tight-fitting lid, so I guess it could be called a dutch oven too. Interestingly, the lid is glazed on the inside and is the right shape and size for a second use as a ten-inch diameter pie plate. This large baking dish has four “feet” molded into the base, as well as molded rings to keep the bottom of the dish slightly raised from the surface of the oven. The sides of the dish are covered with raised ornamental designs of branches, leaves, apples, and other fruits and vegetables. I love to look at the intricate detail of the designs.
The interior of this earthenware baking dish has the same dark brown glaze that the interior of the pie plate has. Both have an unglazed exterior that is the color of sand with small dark specks throughout. The baking dish has a metal bail that is connected to earthenware ears.
The bottom of the baking dish has raised lettering that reads “Neu Deel Economy Cookin Ware Health.” The bottom of the pie plate has raised lettering that reads “Neu Deel Economy Cookin Ware Health Reg US Pat Off Pat 91285.” The patent for this design was registered on January 2, 1934 and was valid for a period of fourteen years. The designer was Warren I. Tycer of Columbus, Ohio. Included in the patent are two drawings of his proposed design.
Sketch by Warren I. Tycer of his ornamental design
Sketch by Warren I. Tycer of
his earthenware baking dish
Many different styles of these baking dishes were made under this same patent. Although I have had my “Neu Deel Cookin Ware” for about twenty years and have searched through many sources during that time, I have never found another one of these dishes as tall as mine (8 1/2 inches), including the dish shown in the patent sketch. I have seen shallower dishes with portions of the ornamental design… dishes with and without bails and with and without feet. Apparently not all of these baking dishes were designed with lids. (In fact, the patent drawing does not show a lid.) The lids often look different too, with some having a glazed interior while others do not.
Written by Shirley | Filed Under Antiques & Simple Treasures, Personal
Comments
Comment by Miss Eagle:
I do love this baking dish. How I would love such a beautiful thing. What’s that saying about form and function? This man not only thought of function – he thought of the beauty of it as well. And it has a dual function too. Treasure it, preserve it. You may have to bequeath it to a museum.
Blessings and bliss
Comment by ellen b:
Have you cooked anything in it? It really is an interesting baking dish.
Comment by Sharon:
I have never seen anything like that before. It is very interesting!
Comment by Kelli:
What a neat history and the dish pattern is wonderful!
Kelli
Comment by Laura:
I have one of the shallow dishes like this. Mine does not have a cover or if it had one, it got broke or something. I bought mine at an auction so I don’t know anything about it except that I like it. I was glad to find out about it. Thanks!
Comment by Shirley:
Ellen… no, I have never actually cooked anything in this dish. I have it sitting on my counter and I use it more like a cannister to keep things in. I’m sure it would work great in the oven, but I’m afraid I might break it. Thanks everyone for the comments.
Comment by Max and Peggy:
We have the dish that’s in the sketch but unfortunately, not the lid. It belonged to Max’s mother and was obviously a favorite baking dish. We heat it in the oven to keep rolls or bread warm during dinner or just keep fruit in it on the counter. It’s too wonderful to hide in a cupboard. We will send you a picture if you would like.
Comment by Shirley:
Max and Peggy, that was so interesting to hear about another of these Neu Deel Cookin Ware dishes… and especially the one in the sketch. I had never thought of using mine for keeping rolls warm… that’s a great idea.
Comment by chuck:
Great Information about these bowls, thanks! We have 2 pieces, a 10″ bowl, 3 1/2″ deep and the 10″ pie plate. I never thought of the plate as a top for the bowl. It does fit but not tight and leaves very little room in the bowl. The pie plate also has the brown rim with a white inside. Lots of crazing and brown from the oven but still looks and works great. Lots of washing has started to wear the outside pattern down and the inside crazing does begin to darken with use.
thanks
Comment by Lynn P:
I have two of these dishes, both inherited from my mother-in-law. One is the pie plate pictured above and the other is 3 1/2″ in deep. They sound like what Chuck has. As Chuck noted above, the pie pan fits right into the top of the deeper bowl but diminishes the depth of the bowl by 1″ when used that way. When turned upside down, the pie pan makes an elevated dome over the lower bowl, but you’d have to be very careful, as there’s nothing to hold it in place but simple friction. It had never occurred to me that they were bought as a set, but I’ll bet that they were.
Mine are both in perfect condition. I had never paid any attention to them except to really appreciate their function (the larger bowl is fabulous for baked beans, spoon bread, etc), until I sent a pie to my next door neighbor yesteday. She brought the clean pie plate back, raving about it, and we “Googled” it to see what it was.
If you want a photo, I’d be glad to send a couple.
Comment by donkittre:
I have come to own several of these pieces. I had always thought that they were flower containers since my Mother in law was an avid gardener. I am now looking at them with a greater appreciation for their form and function. Does anyone have a value on the current market? Responses will be appreciated. Thanks
Comment by Shirley:
I really have no idea about what one of these is worth except for the prices I’ve seen in antique shops. A less tall set with the same design and the pie plate cover had a price tag of $175 in a local antique store about a year ago. And several years ago someone offered me $250 for the one I have. (I said no thanks.)
Comment by Pearl Gilbert:
I have all three pieces. The tall one, the shorter one and the (pie plate) cover. All in excellent condition. I use the shorter one often to cook baked beans or stews in the oven. I’ve also used the cover for quiche or pumpkin pies. I love them and received both from my grandparents who if they were alive today would be around 125 years old. I’m not sure how old the dishes are but they were used often in our family. I love them and was thinking of selling them but am not sure how to price them. Any recommendations out there? I’ll have to ask my children again if they may be interested now that I know some of their history. It was great reading about them. Thank you so much.
Comment by Marcia K:
Hi there,
I was googling the patent number on the bottom of the pie plates that I inherited from my mother, and found your website. I have two pie plates that are similar to your pie plate / lid, but mine have little tabs on the sides for lifting out of the oven, and also the dark brown glaze extends over the edge of the pie plate, around the rim.
My mother had inherited these from her grandmother, and can remember many pies from childhood that were baked in them. My mom was born in 1934, so it’s kind of neat that the patent was granted in that year.
We just made pumpkin pie and pecan pie in the heirloom pie plates, and enjoyed them during Thanksgiving. It’s nice to know more about them.
Thanks!
Marcia
11/30/08
Comment by Keren:
I have a pie plate that is exactly like the one shown, except it has cook-rite economy on the bottom with the same patent number as shown above. Is this a newer version? It belonged to my grandmother.
Comment by Linda:
I have the short version and it was heavily used by my family. It belonged to a New Eng. grandmother or a PA grandmother. In which area would it most likely have been sold and do you think it’s safe to use – lead etc.? Enjoyed your article.
Comment by Joe:
Just received 3 pieces from my mom. They were here Grandmothers a while back. The pie plate, bean pot and a larger pot with missing handle. Do these items need any type of special care? Kind of like a cast iron skillet?
Can’t wait to try some recipes out in them.
Comment by Shirley:
I don’t know the answer to this. I use mine more as a decorative piece and haven’t used it for cooking, but I do know some people who just use them like any other dishes. Maybe somebody who does use these dishes for cooking can give a better answer to your question?
Comment by Shirley:
Linda, I really have no idea… about the location or if these dishes have unsafe levels of lead. I know they were made originally for food and that people still use them for food. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Comment by Sandy:
I was so excited to find your site. I have a bowl and pie plate/lid very much like the ones pictured. I was given these by my mother recently but she can’t remember where she got them. She lives in northern Illinois and was born in 1921. My bowl is 5 and 1/2 inches tall and almost 10 inches across with dark brown glaze inside and around rim and little tabs for handles but no hole for a bail. The plate is exactly like the one pictured. They both have stamped on the bottom Cook-Rite Cookin-Ware and Health Economy in a circle. Patent # 91285 but no Neu Deel. Thank You for this great information.
Comment by Claire:
Thank you for the information!
I bought my three piece set in 1970 at a church bazaar for twenty-five cents!
I was sure they were old because the patent number was so short, but now I have much more information.
I have baked in mine. I have broken the pie plate, but it may have been in an earthquake!
Thank you!
Comment by nancy long:
hi shirley 5/30/2009 i have just gotten the exact 3 piece set same as yours from my great uncles estate sale, it belonged to my great grandmother, i barely remember her, i am 53 she passed away when i was 4 all 3 pieces are in exc. cond. and i look forward to using them. thanks for all the info.
Comment by DAVID D:
HELLO SHIRLEY
MY GRANDMOTHER GAVE MY MOTHER ONE JUST LIKE YOURS
AND IT IS 8 1/2 ” TALL WITH PIE LID
BUT ALL THE MARKING ARE THE SAME BUT NO PAT #
AND IS GLAZED IN MORE OF A CREAM FINISH INSIDE
BUT THE OUT SIDE IS THE SAME DESIGN.
Comment by Betty K:
my dish is labeled cooking-ware health, neu Deel Economy. The wire handle has rusted off and the holes are plugged with rust. Do you think if i sprayed WD40 on the holes I could clean them out and put in a new wire? I’d like to use this dish for a bread recipe that calls for heating the empty dish in the oven at 400 deg, putting in the dough mixture, covering and baking for 30 min. i’m afraid the dish will crack. Thanks for any help with the handle.
Comment by Jeannie:
I recently found one of these fabulous bowls and was delighted to find your site with some info. My bowl is 8″ tall and 10″ across. The handle is perfect. Mine has the full design pictured. Color is a bit different – lower part is a dark yellow and upper band is dark brown. The inside is the yellow. It does have a small crack in the bottom, but otherwise is in perfect condition. Do you have any idea on the value?
I also wondered where these were manufactured?
Comment by Jeannie:
I mis-stated the depth of my bowl – it is 5″. Also the interior color is the light tan as in your photograph.
Comment by Shirley:
All the information I was able to find is in my article. You might be able to find an idea of the current value from one of the online auction sites or from an antiques dealer. The patent was registered in Ohio, but I have not found any definitive proof of where the items were manufactured.
Comment by Sandi:
I was so thrilled to find this, I inherited 2 mixing bowls and 2 pie plates from my grandmother – I remember them as being specifically for Thanksgiving and Christmas use – but I have never seen similar ones. Do you know if these are still sold anywhere?
Comment by Lisa:
I have the 3.5″ deep dish & the pie plate. I would love to find the 8.5″ deep dish with a handle. Mine are glazed over a cream colored crackle on the inside. I found your site when I googled the information on the bottom. (Which is the same as yours). Thank you for all of the information.
Please leave a comment!