You Might Be Sitting On A Fortune If You Own This Antique Cookware

A few of those kitchen hand-me-downs that have been in the family for years may be worth serious dough. Some vintage kitchen items can be worth a fortune, and your cabinets may be stocked with valuable cookware without you realizing it. While not all old sets can be sold for fat stacks, certain factors influence reselling price, and it can be helpful to brush up on the history of cookware before making selling or purchasing decisions.

Some of the most valuable cookware is made from copper. Copper cookware is prized for its conductivity, as it is ideal for making sauces and searing proteins. Thicker copper pots and pans hold onto heat, and many of the copper pieces made in the early 1800s offer particularly thick copper walls. When French cuisine acquired an elevated status, artisans took care to make cookware that would complement these reputed recipes. Though these pieces were made over a century ago, they can be maintained and be used in the kitchen. Since these vintage copper sets aren't made anymore, when you do find them, they are considered valuable.

In addition to the quality of a copper item and how well it has been maintained, the size and thickness of the piece can impact how much it might resell for. Usually, copper items that are more than 2 millimeters thick are valued higher. These thicker copper pieces aren't typically made now, and many of the antique pots and pins were lined with tin, not the stainless steel used today. You may also notice that some of these quality pieces have handles affixed with copper rivets or unique brass details.

Looking for imprints on a pot or pan can help gauge how much a piece can be sold for. One set of 13 matching copper pans and lids, plus a roasting pan dating back to the 19th century can be listed for over $5,000. Stamped words and symbols can reveal the maker or details about when the piece was made. A singular French copper mixing bowl from the 1880s is listed at over $600, while a large copper pot is valued at close to $800. As with any purchase, care must be taken to ensure authenticity of products, and with any significant investment for your kitchen, what matters is your intended use. Too-heavy copper items may be difficult to maneuver, so unless you're simply after aesthetics, consider what will be reasonable to carry into your home — if you're not lucky enough to have inherited a copper set.