Searching LetGo on a rainy Sunday, I find an add with this picture. It appears to be a old dirty yellow Weber in some sort of wrought iron cart. It is not like the Seville pictured in the old Weber catalog so I have no idea what it is.
Not having any interest in it, I post it on the WKC Online Finds, asking what it is.
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/trading-post/seville-on-letgo-$100-(madera-california)/msg273818/#msg273818
Immediately, several members respond identifying it as a Chariot Seville.
@crowderjd being one of them posts that it is one of his grails. I message the seller intending to secure it for crowderjd. The seller responds that he has received an offer of $220 from an out of state buyer, willing to pay the shipping. Advising crowderjd of the development, he tells me thank you but does not want to get in a bidding war over it. A that point I message the seller telling him good luck as $220 is more than I am willing to pay. Late that night the seller messages me that he really does not want to go through the hassle of shipping it. Since crowderjd had pulled out, I start thinking, how many chances am I going to have at owning one of these. I decide to make the seller an offer (above the $100 asking price but below the $220 offer). He responds we have a deal. Problem is, the next day (Monday) there was a massive storm forecast to hit with flooding and landslides predicted. I ask the seller if he can hold it for me until Tuesday to which he agrees. The risk of losing it to someone offering more $$ entered my mind but I was not willing to drive in that storm.
Tuesday I make the drive to Madera, a 360 mile round trip. I pull up in front of the residence and the Chariot is sitting on the front lawn. I start looking at it and the first thing I notice is that the yellow kettle is not original to the Chariot. It had handles at one time that had been removed and then bolts were installed to suspend the kettle above the table. There also were leg sockets attached at one time. The ash pan also has cut outs which I know from pictures is not original for Sevilles.
I point out all my observations to the seller. I explain that the kettle it came with originally would have small three small L tabs on the sides to hold the kettle above the table. Talking further I find out the seller bought the Chariot about 5 years ago from a friend. He tells me that his friend may still have the original "green" kettle that came with it and only lives four blocks away. He calls his buddy and we find out he still has it. The seller jumps in his truck, leaving me on the front lawn with the Chariot and drives to his friends house. He returns in about 20 minutes with what I believe is the original lime lid and bowl. The unfortunate thing is it was being used as a fire pit for at least the last 5 years. The bowl is in pretty rough shape but I like the psychedelic crazing.
Apparently his buddy had purchased the Chariot approximately 20 years ago for $60. I pay the seller and load up the Chariot with both yellow & lime kettles. Once I arrived home, I was able to do a bit of cleaning the kettles and the cart. The lime lid is in much better shape than the bowl, other than missing its original handle. I normally don't set kettles on pavement but these have no porcelain left on the edges to damage.
The Woodard Company manufactured the rod iron Seville carts for Weber. The detail is amazing. There are little acorns in between the oak leaves and the pattern is called Orleans.
The cart has several areas that need welding. After that, my plan is to have the cart media blasted then powder coated, keeping the original lime kettle in the Chariot. Like Craig says, "Every kettle has a story". This one's story is pretty unique and interesting, especially having the original kettle reunited with the Chariot. I also plan to install a new Weber Fire Pit handle on the lime lid. Anyone see the irony in that?
Thanks to
@Craig for your help in dating this relic and
@MINIgrillin for the Woodard Company information.
