SOLD Vintage Silver Plated Copper Saute Pan - Approx 3.8mm Thick, 12" Wide, 12Lbs

[ptolemy]

Hi everyone. I decided to sell this bad boy. It may not be for everyone, but I imagine it's as much of a unicorn as some of the knives here.

For sale: Vintage Silver Plated Copper Saute Pan
As you all know. no one makes pans this thick anymore. I think they stopped in the 90's.
This has 1 tag and I couldn't find much about it, short of 1 store in Nice, France closing in the late 90s...
I am confident that it's a Mauviel pan made in the 80's for restaurants (I seen several of their catalogs from that era and they didn't offer anything in this size for home users). Someone said it's maybe a gaillard, but I doubt it...

Specs of the pan (please see pics of all my measurement references

Pan is over 12lbs in weight. super heavy, and very large. It's approx 30cm in diameter and approx 3.25" tall
The pan is 3.65-3.8mm thick. It varies in thickness due to copper being hammered (even bottom).
I took measurements in 5-7 spots and lowest I got was 3.65mm and highest around 3.85mm. Hard to be more precise, so please keep that in mind
Pan is silver plated to 54 microns and comes with a 5 year warranty against defects (I don't know what that means exactly, but buyer will get a copy of that invoice for their reference)

The plan is clean and has not been used since being silver plated. It's not perfect as being close to 40 years old. see pic 3, where I pointed out with marker some spots where it's not smooth.
Rivets are strong and large and shiny. Handle is secure.

Overall, this is a wonderful example of french cookware, that's literary is not made anymore in this size and thickness...

Asking $1300 shipped in CONusa, insured with signature.

All pics attached, but directly linking only a few...

 

[Tonycast]

Dang, can't believe you pawned that nickel plated stuff off on me when you had this in the waiting . Absolutely gorgeous

 

[ptolemy]

Dang, can't believe you pawned that nickel plated stuff off on me when you had this in the waiting . Absolutely gorgeous

haha, I think it's a different category, as this sucker weights about what those 3 weigh. I had it hanging, almost like a painting, but i figured, i not into cookware as art pieces.

And, to be fair, it perfectly compliments your setup ... just saying...

 

[Tonycast]

haha, I think it's a different category, as this sucker weights about what those 3 weigh. I had it hanging, almost like a painting, but i figured, i not into cookware as art pieces.

And, to be fair, it perfectly compliments your setup ... just saying...

Don't tempt me. We just got a Control Freak so probably out of my current budget

 

[ptolemy]

Don't tempt me. We just got a Control Freak so probably out of my current budget

no worries .

 

[VicVox72]

This is completely out of my price range at the moment (if i sold all my knives at a good price, I'd still be some short ..) but i just came here to say this is amazingly beautiful.

I just got my first copper (boring steel plated ) and it's such a delight to use.

If you don't sell this, let me know in, uh...., five years when I am rich and famous ?

 

[damiano]

Just out of curiosity, what is the source of this pan, i.e. where did you get it from?

 

[ptolemy]

Just out of curiosity, what is the source of this pan, i.e. where did you get it from?

I got it from 1 of the auction sellers a while back. spent some time researching and asking around... then i had it cleaned, polished, and silver plated (it was tin lined originally).

what makes this rare (i am no expert, just someone who keeps an eye on these) is the size.. anything over 28cm is usually restaurant grade in this thickness...

This is completely out of my price range at the moment (if i sold all my knives at a good price, I'd still be some short ..) but i just came here to say this is amazingly beautiful.

I just got my first copper (boring steel plated ) and it's such a delight to use.

If you don't sell this, let me know in, uh...., five years when I am rich and famous ?

haha, np! not in a rush to sell.

 

[Konig9402]

Gorgeous, would be greatly interested to compare the performance to my Falk stainless-lined copper, alas finances are tight

 

[ptolemy]

Gorgeous, would be greatly interested to compare the performance to my Falk stainless-lined copper, alas finances are tight

I can compare that for you... against the falk pan. I have another pan that's 3.5mm thick. In terms of browning/saute performance, i'd say there is a very little difference if you have good stove and you have good technique, pre-heating, leaving meat in room temperature, drying it out, etc...

when I say little, i mean, both look awesome with even crust, etc... is 3.5mm better? that's hard to say... but, when I made cream sauce, i felt that it was little better than 2.5mm, simply speaking the consistency was better, but it could be a placebo effect or i messed other one up..

i also did few garlic tests and both cooked it nicely and evenly...

I would never make a claim that it's better than 2.5mm performance wise for most people and most cooks. Just like no one here can tell me that a $1500-$2500 knife is much better than a 300-500 knife for most people and most cooking tasks. Is it better for some? and for some tasks? yes for sure, but it's also prob worse for some other tasks...

I think whoever will buy this will likely be someone who wants not only the best performance but also wants it for history and appreciation of it

 

[Konig9402]

I can compare that for you... against the falk pan. I have another pan that's 3.5mm thick. In terms of browning/saute performance, i'd say there is a very little difference if you have good stove and you have good technique, pre-heating, leaving meat in room temperature, drying it out, etc...

when I say little, i mean, both look awesome with even crust, etc... is 3.5mm better? that's hard to say... but, when I made cream sauce, i felt that it was little better than 2.5mm, simply speaking the consistency was better, but it could be a placebo effect or i messed other one up..

i also did few garlic tests and both cooked it nicely and evenly...

I would never make a claim that it's better than 2.5mm performance wise for most people and most cooks. Just like no one here can tell me that a $1500-$2500 knife is much better than a 300-500 knife for most people and most cooking tasks. Is it better for some? and for some tasks? yes for sure, but it's also prob worse for some other tasks...

I think whoever will buy this will likely be someone who wants not only the best performance but also wants it for history and appreciation of it

That's wonderful insight. Copper cookware is indeed very much a slippery slope. Since getting my Falk, I've longed to try tin or silver-lined even more.

 

[ptolemy]

That's wonderful insight. Copper cookware is indeed very much a slippery slope. Since getting my Falk, I've longed to try tin or silver-lined even more.

Ya, my 3.5mm is tin lined, but once i go through it in 10-15 years, i'll get it silver lined, going to cost more than falk pan alone, but to me, it's worth it.

If falk had larger cooker, say a 15qt pot in rondeau size, i'd def get it instead, and not spend almost a year looking for it

 

[Konig9402]

Ya, my 3.5mm is tin lined, but once i go through it in 10-15 years, i'll get it silver lined, going to cost more than falk pan alone, but to me, it's worth it.

If falk had larger cooker, say a 15qt pot in rondeau size, i'd def get it instead, and not spend almost a year looking for it

I agree, I feel like Falk has some limited sizes despite the size of their catalog. I reached out to their CEO in Belgium at one point to ask if they had any intention of making a stock pot bigger than 9.5qt and they said they can't fathom anyone buying that in copper so they don't make it. The way they see it, the use case of copper is mostly in the 1.5-5qt range it seems.

On another note, I hope induction technology advances enough that copper can be used someday. IIRC, this technology is coming. I much prefer gas though

 

[ptolemy]

I agree, I feel like Falk has some limited sizes despite the size of their catalog. I reached out to their CEO in Belgium at one point to ask if they had any intention of making a stock pot bigger than 9.5qt and they said they can't fathom anyone buying that in copper so they don't make it. The way they see it, the use case of copper is mostly in the 1.5-5qt range it seems.

On another note, I hope induction technology advances enough that copper can be used someday. IIRC, this technology is coming. I much prefer gas though

They are probably right. There is a reason my pan cost 2x of the one 6cm lesser diameter. It's def not because copper costs $300 more. It's due to limited #'s they make, cost of tooling, etc...

So, if falk offered a 12.5st stew pot and a 16qt pot, my guess their cost would need to be $600/$800 range before LID... Most likely., they are only going to sell 20-40 max a year... Mauveil has a much wider distributor network and corporate / industrial buyers, so probably is worth it for them (almost explains why they don't make it in SS, as tooling for 36-45cm sizes was made before SS cladding was possible...)

 

[Konig9402]

They are probably right. There is a reason my pan cost 2x of the one 6cm lesser diameter. It's def not because copper costs $300 more. It's due to limited #'s they make, cost of tooling, etc...

So, if falk offered a 12.5st stew pot and a 16qt pot, my guess their cost would need to be $600/$800 range before LID... Most likely., they are only going to sell 20-40 max a year... Mauveil has a much wider distributor network and corporate / industrial buyers, so probably is worth it for them (almost explains why they don't make it in SS, as tooling for 36-45cm sizes was made before SS cladding was possible...)

Maybe you experience it differently but I'm always surprised how expensive mauveil is in North America for their pieces. Since Falk has a direct US distributor in Ohio with 15-20% sales plus no tax for interstate shipping, I found Falk to be significantly cheaper even if lid comes separate.

 

[damiano]

Big copper stockpots may be available through Dehillerin, the Paris cookware shop. Their copper cookware is rumoured to be made by Mauviel. Shipping costs to the US seem to have improved, I’ve heard. There is also a French website selling professional quality Mauviel including their tin-lined stuff.

I have lots of copper cookware, most bought new around a decade ago, Mauviel 2.5mm thickness. Still use them more or less daily, some of the best cookware I have ever seen and used. Sadly these days the quality of Mauviel is not as good. So if I am buying copper new now it will be Falk.

I also have a vintage Dehillerin (likely Mauviel) 4.0 mm 32 cm saute pan. It’s probably from a century old, and used in a French hotel. I had it retinned 2 years ago by the people at Falk, Belgium. It cooks great but remember that the thicker the copper the slower the response time. For all purpose cooking 2.5mm has a good balance.

 

[damiano]

@ptolemy Apologies for messing up your want to sell thread! Have you tried etsy? May have more people there looking for copper cookware.

 

[ptolemy]

@ptolemy Apologies for messing up your want to sell thread! Have you tried etsy? May have more people there looking for copper cookware.

no apologies needed. i enjoy the discussion as long as it's in the respectful manner. and no, i have not tried etsy yet... but i will, if there is no interest here, which is usually my goal first

Big copper stockpots may be available through Dehillerin, the Paris cookware shop. Their copper cookware is rumoured to be made by Mauviel. Shipping costs to the US seem to have improved, I’ve heard. There is also a French website selling professional quality Mauviel including their tin-lined stuff.

I have lots of copper cookware, most bought new around a decade ago, Mauviel 2.5mm thickness. Still use them more or less daily, some of the best cookware I have ever seen and used. Sadly these days the quality of Mauviel is not as good. So if I am buying copper new now it will be Falk.

I also have a vintage Dehillerin (likely Mauviel) 4.0 mm 32 cm saute pan. It’s probably from a century old, and used in a French hotel. I had it retinned 2 years ago by the people at Falk, Belgium. It cooks great but remember that the thicker the copper the slower the response time. For all purpose cooking 2.5mm has a good balance.

i heard same too about quality being difference, but what exactly changed, i don't know...

4mm is nice. it's still much much better at temp changes but also very good at retaining even heating, which is where cast iron lacks (it retains heat very well, just unevenly)

Maybe you experience it differently but I'm always surprised how expensive mauveil is in North America for their pieces. Since Falk has a direct US distributor in Ohio with 15-20% sales plus no tax for interstate shipping, I found Falk to be significantly cheaper even if lid comes separate.

Ya, i bought bunch of mine from europe or asia.. I am not against having to wait for shipping if price is right... Mauviel doesn't have any direct dealers... just some distributors, which is why price is so different (i think, anyway)

 

[damiano]

Thick copper, say above 3.0mm, is best for long and slow cooking. So pan shapes like your and my saute pan and in those large diameters are perfect for that. Otoh you would want thinner copper for something like a 20 cm saucepan, or 24 cm saute pan.

Good luck with the sale!

 

[Konig9402]

Yes indeed, thanks for your thoughts again and good luck with the sale!

 

[ptolemy]

bump, still available

 

[Bigbbaillie]

I didn't know pans could be this expensive, I'm sure the price is justified and the pan is definitely beautiful but this is still kind of mind blowing to me.

 

[DavidPF]

I didn't know pans could be this expensive, I'm sure the price is justified and the pan is definitely beautiful but this is still kind of mind blowing to me.

Whichever knife you personally consider a "unicorn" might have a similar price or even more, especially if it had been out of production for a long time. I do agree that you can usually get a good-enough pan for less than what a good-enough knife costs, but this isn't exactly in "good-enough" territory.

 

[ptolemy]

Ya, it's a fairly nice unicorn. I wouldn't call it irreplaceable, like a 18th century Windsor castle pot, but pretty rare nevertheless

I'll take reasonable offers. Not looking anything for trade right now, TY

 

[Raul Pons]

Gorgeous pan!
Can I ask who did the silver plating?
Thank you

 

[ptolemy]

Gorgeous pan!
Can I ask who did the silver plating?
Thank you

Place in seattle, called Zapffe Silversmiths, Expert Silver Restoration Since 1919.

you call them and ask for david. it wasn't cheap but was def worth it!

 

[Mrchainsaw]

Beautiful. I’m very intrigued by copper cookware. Don’t have Any but love the craftsmanship and function. This is more than my wallet can handle but what a great piece.