Ampro Chafing Dish w/Teak Wood Knob & Handles: Georges Briard 22K Gold Tile Work

Description

Up for your consideration is an exquisite Mid-century Modern 1960's chafing dish with a solid teak wood knob on its lid, its handle, and the two knobs on the built-in burner below the chafing dish. Just below the knob on top is an inlaid tile done in a 22K gold overlay pattern on a round cobalt and white colored ceramic tile. The tile was designed by the noted glass designer Georges Briard a French immigrant who made his way to America and later became an award winning designer using gold overlay in his designs either fused onto a ceramic tile like the one on the lid of this chafing dish or fused into clear glass like a casserole dish. In his tile work he experimented with cobalt blue tiles using cobalt blue powdered oxides that must be fired at temperatures two times hotter than ordinary ceramics and the chance of cobalt blue tiles fracturing at these high temperatures is more likely than not; a feat only a skilled ceramicist can acheive. Briard partnered with Ampro, Pyrex, Fire king, and a host of other ceramic and glassware companies throughout the 1960's and is considered the champion of gold overlay and infused gold glassware here in America and abroad.
The 'chafer,' as chafing dishes are often called, is made by the Ampro Company and it is made almost entirely of aluminum a new medium artistic designers and decorators were using in the 1960's as it has a satin finish on it, and aluminum conducts heat rapidly like copper making this chafing dish with its dainty burner below it an ideal chafer for keeping foods warm in it on the brunch or buffet table. Chafer's are not used to cook in but rather they are used to keep food warm tableside that has been cooked on a stove top or in a oven then transferred to the chafer and a burner containing cooking fuel, usually a gel, below it and it keeps food warm for one hour or up to two hours depending on how much fuel you put into your burner to start out with.
A standard chafing dish is comprised of five parts 1) the lid with a nice full sized wooden knob on top of it to lift it easily off the dish below it, 2) below the lid is the warming pan that doubles as a serving pan with a strong sturdy teak wood handle on it, 3) below this is the water pan that holds about an inch of water in it that when heated by the burner below it comes to a rushing boil keeping the foods in your warming pan warm, 4) below this is the burner with a damper on it that swings to/fro to extinguish the flame when your meal has been served and nothing is left in your serving dish, 5) is the sturdy chrome plated heavy gage wire stand with three rubber feet on each of its three legs that holds the entire assembly upright and in place to serve your brunch, buffet, or dinner guests a warm hot dish in it.
Chafing dishes or chafers were ever so popular as people began to once again to entertain at home during the late 1950's, 1960's, and up until today. In 1930's and 1940's people, mostly couples, joined each other at clubs where big band & combo musical entertainment was provided by the club. The chafing dish also dates back to ancient China where emperors and Imperials had large, lavish, ornamental chafers to entertain large groups of dignitaries and other peoples of the day. Today, chafers are a standard for anyone entertaining more than a few people as the chafer in this listing holds 2 quarts of your favorite foods from appetizers like barbecued meat balls & weenies, chicken wings, pot stickers, and egg rolls to casseroles, stews, rice dishes, and many more common and exotic entrées in it.
The chafing dish when fully assembled on its tripod stand measures 10" from the tabletop to the knob on top of the lid X 16" wide including the carrying handle. The warming dish measures 9" in diameter X 3 1/2" deep and the water pan measures 10" in diameter X 3" deep. The burner, with the damper closed, measures 2 1/4" from the table top up X 3" in diameter around the cover and holds 8 ounces of cooking fuel. I have found that the best cooking fuel is 'fire pot' gel or Sterno. If you fill the burner with 4 ounces of 'fire pot' gel your foods will stay warm for about an hour and if you fill it to 8 ounces your food will stay hot for about two hours. One small Sterno is good for the same and can be purchased at you local hardware store and read the instructions on the side panel for the number of hours your Sterno will keep your foods warm as the sizes of Sterno vary.
A chafing dish like this one made from light weight aluminum with a beautiful inlaid tile in its lid and all real teak wood hardware will impress your most discriminating guests as they marvel over your new Mid-Century Modern tableware. This piece with its satin aluminum finish on it and decorative features will act as a standalone focal point on your dinner, brunch, or buffet table mixed with your existing china dinnerware or match the tile up to a new set of china for Spring renewal!
Good luck! Any questions Email me right away! Please see my other treasures on EBAY by clicking on "SELLER'S OTHER ITEMS." Don't hesitate to make a 'reasonable' offer as my pricing is flexible.