posted 10-20-2008 03:01 PM            

Flipping idly through a well-known cookware & entertaining catalog, I was brought up short this morning by a new offering: hammered stainless pots with unusual lid ornaments: "hand-cast brass accents plated in silver and individually signed by a renowned Milan silversmith".

Irritation at the failure to credit the silversmith by name was outweighed by delight in the ornaments themselves:

Lovely as they are (there are several different versions, all assemblages of vegetables and leaves), they're unlikely to spur a rococo revival in American kitchens right now. Aside from the practical issues, the economic and political climate is not conducive.

In this case, some thought has been given to practicality. The ornaments are removable for hand washing (the stainless pots can be put in the dishwasher). But not enough -- the lone customer review so far notes that the ornaments are too low to the pot, making them difficult to use as knobs, especially when wielding a potholder.

Still, an occasion for a pause of delight. Enjoy the brief rococo revival of 2008!

posted 10-20-2008 05:04 PM            

Firms I found mention of on the web were Miracoli (specializing in animal/hunting motifs), Dabbene, and Gabriele De Vecchio.

Those of you with a W-S retail store could go take a look at the lids in person. You'd probably have to unscrew the ornaments to see the silversmith's marks, but that should be less alarming to the sales staff since the catalog promotes it as a feature.