I’ve noticed two types of stampings: Numbered and Coded.
Numbered. This seems to be an earlier type. These are “FE” meaning cast iron, “Belgium”, and a single number. The number looks to be centimeters.
Coded. The pieces stamped with the codes seem to be later. Once again, “FE” and “Belgium”, but the numbering looks like some sort of piece code. I am looking at one of my pieces marked: “8 2-D”, for example. BUT as I look through today’s listing on ebay… there’s on marked “80-A 14″. The whole arrangement seems kind of inscrutable, but it does appear that the larger numbers appear on the pot and the small numbers appear on the lid.
I have a yellow oval 9 X 11 casserole with 3-C imprinted on the cover. What is the quart size? And is it ok to brown veg or meat on the stovetop before cooking in the oven?
4 cups to a quart… Got a measuring cup? :>)
Can someone help me decode frying pan numbers?. If I want a 12″ lid and 12″ pan what numbers should I see – same with 11″
Best to SEE a regular ruler in the picture…
I have noticed Descoware beanpots on ebay and there is never a sizing listed, but the one I looked at (online) had “FE 3″ on it. Is there any way to know what size this is? Also, I missed out on a “22″ (@3 qt?) round dutch oven with the maple leaf design. The others left on ebay currently are in terrible shape; anyone know where to find one of these that is cosmetically better?
Most of the markings do indicate size. I’ll take a guess that the 3 refers to liters. Ebay is pretty much the only source that works… I tried doing free classifieds here but no one added anything so I took them down after a couple of years.
FE does not refer to iron I think, but to the factory in Belgium that made it which was Founderie Emaillerie of St Trond.
I have one my great uncle gave to my mother in the 1970′s. It’s probably a line he carried in his store in California from the 40′s to the 60′s. It’s a cherry flame (red graduated to orange) small round Dutch oven with a gray interior. The bottom of the pot has the Descoware (in cursive) with made in Belgium (in all caps) enameled in black. Stamped on the bottom in the iron itself (before glaze was applied) is the FE 20 6. The lid has 3 ridges encircling the cast iron handle in the center FE above the handle & No 6 below the handle is raised in the iron casting before glazing. There is another, slightly higher ridge near the outside rim of the lid which roughly corresponds to where the lip starts on the underside. In all caps MADE IN BELGIUM is stamped into the enameling in the center inside of the lid. I believe this may have been one of the earliest pieces imported from the factory in Belgium, circa 1952 – late 1950′s
I was hoping to find out more about it but no one seems to have one like it on any of the sites. It’s kind of fun having a vintage piece that has passed down to me through my family. Enjoy cooking in yours!
how do the lid #’s correspond with the # or code on the pot, i’ve noticed many pieces on ebay are without the lid, and lids are listed separately, how do i know which lid to buy?
From the le creuset yahoo group…..
• 80-A 14 saucepan = 800ml (filled to the brim), 14cm diameter
• 89-A 18 saucepan = 890ml (filled to the groove where the lid sits on), 18cm diameter