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holes in handle of coffee pot

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Author	Topic: holes in handle of coffee pot
abesilverman Posts: 38 Registered: Jan 2004	posted 07-17-2007 11:11 PM [26-1447] Strange and stranger. I recently purchased these two (what I believe are coffee pots - perhaps hotel items), but I can not figure out for the life of me what the holes in the handles are for? There are 4 holes near the top of the handle (which continue to the other side) and 3 holes near the bottom (also continue to the other side). Do the British have a "thing" for holes? Any clues as to why these are there? Are they original to the piece - or drilled at a later date for reasons unknown? IP: Logged
DB Posts: 252 Registered: May 2006	posted 07-18-2007 08:29 AM Maybe the holes have a cooling function for the handle since there are no ivory or wood heatspacers.???? Just a guess. IP: Logged
abesilverman Posts: 38 Registered: Jan 2004	posted 07-18-2007 08:36 AM DB-I had already though about that. Not that ones negates the other, but I also have/have seen many tea sets in which the handles are not perforated. One would believe that a teapot filled with hot water would be just as hot as a coffee pot. Most curious. IP: Logged
adelapt Posts: 418 Registered: May 2003	posted 07-18-2007 01:49 PM I go with DB - cooling holes to let air circulate. A cheaper option than insulators, and robust enough for catering use on plated ware. IP: Logged
Kimo Posts: 1652 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 07-18-2007 02:50 PM The reducing temperature transmission to the handle idea seems plausible. Why not try out the theory - put some hot water in the pot and let it sit for a few minutes then touch the handle. If it is cooler than the metal on the main part of the pot then they would seem to be working. Then try it again with ice water. In this case such holes might help to keep the handle from getting so cold it gets wet with condensation. Experiment! The only other thought I can come up with is they may have been some kind of attachment points for some kind of grips or decorations on the handle - a place where through rivets could go - kind of along the lines of how most kitchen knife blades have their grips attached. However I do not see any evidence of there having been any grips or overlays or such on the handle. If this is what they are for, the addition of some kind of non-metalic grips would take care of the problem of not being able to grab a metal handle when the pot is full of near boiling liquid. Grips would do the job much better than these small "cooling holes". [This message has been edited by Kimo (edited 07-18-2007).] IP: Logged
ahwt Posts: 2377 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 07-18-2007 08:52 PM I think that a hidden hole is sometimes used in a hollow handle to allow steam to excape when soldering it to the body. These clearly were not hidden and may have been the silversmith's desire to add decorative value. Maybe like the vent holes on the sides of the hood of Buick sedans. IP: Logged
abesilverman Posts: 38 Registered: Jan 2004	posted 07-19-2007 09:43 AM Reducing heat to the handle wins - as per a "hands on" test. It did seem to keep the handle at a stable temp. vs. hot/cold in the body. As long as I'm being a bloody nuisance here, anyone know who the mfgr happened to be? I'm not able to ID it. Thank you for your suggestions, and thanks in advance for any ID help. IP: Logged
DB Posts: 252 Registered: May 2006	posted 07-19-2007 12:08 PM Maker:Benjamin Grayson and Son, Sheffield 1871.... if the holes are not here for ventilation, maybe to fasten a cover over the handle, brown fibre - I am sure you have seen it on hot water pots - promise, this is my last guess. IP: Logged
abesilverman Posts: 38 Registered: Jan 2004	posted 07-19-2007 12:49 PM Thanks, DB! As my wife is a weaver, she says "no way" (unfortunately) about the over-woven handle, and I don't argue with her. One could place wooden skewers in the holes to keep people from "helping themselves" to a drop of refreshment! These are going to make great iced tea pitchers for our outdoor entertaining, though. IP: Logged

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