Posted 14 years ago
pjmoore
(1 item)
Have a black cast iron kettle. It has ALSI-BACHI on the side with San Francisco underneath that. Haven't been able to find any information yet am hoping someone on here can offer some help.
Black cast iron kettle | ||
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I have never, in all my years of dealing in cast iron seen anything like that. It's an odd one for sure. PJ, I sure hope someone has some info, cause I would also like to know about it.
Does anyone have any ideas of where I can look for more information? I'm at a real loss, I've looked and looked and just aren't finding anything useful.
hi ya...
try looking up HIBACHI...
if I am correct, it is the North American version of a traditional Japanese heating "pot"...hibachi translates to "fire bowl" and these were used and still are in Japanese homes to heat the room...
since this one has an opening at the bottom it is the westernized version to use with charcoal...what is the inside like?
There wasn't anything inside the pot and it looks pretty much like the outside, pitted or pocked more of course. The are a couple of ridges(?), small outdents that I guess could hold up a grate of something like that. There is also a small hole, triangle shape actually, not quite directly across from the sliding door. That slide sideways by the way. I can tell you that one of my old iron skillets fits great and there would be all kinds of room below for coals. I had wondered if it was used for baking on a ship or something. Or used for heating in small confined spaces. My husband wondered if it was patterned something the Chinese brought into San Francisco back in the 1800s.
Thanks a lot for the idea, guess I'll look at antique hibachis next. If you should happen to know of any place or anyone to show this to I would appreciate a heads up on it.
sounds like the grate is missing...in North America these are used for cooking and since your skillet fits you are ready for some outdoor fun...I believe that these came to America form Japan hundreds of years ago, but were not always used as heaters...
This is a simpler one that showed up on ebay a while back.
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ssc4tansu/hiba1(1).JPG
You will need to copy and paste the complete url to see it.
I have a Alsi-Bachi Jr. I found this site with your post while searching out what type of fuel to use in it. Yours doesn't have a grate inside, eh? Well you've got the lid. I'm not sure whether mine ever had a lid... maybe. I bought it in a thrift store. It was missing the handle so I fit it with the handle from some utensil I saw nearby.
Here are pictures:
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s36/chrisandbird/starbuck/alsibachi1.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s36/chrisandbird/starbuck/alsibachi2.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s36/chrisandbird/starbuck/alsibachi3.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s36/chrisandbird/starbuck/alsibachi4.jpg
Still not sure about the fuel. Charcoal for sure but not indoors.