Weber Bros Metal Works

[mike.stavlund]

w0w.

nice work!

[Craig]

George Stephen bought out WBMW in 1958 and changed the name to Weber Stephen that year. The lid was redesigned to this style in 1956. This is a 1956-early 1958 kettle at best.

That cooking grate, that's a beast! That is totally restorable and useable from the looks of it. That's gotta be built like a tank! I also feel that the MLH lids are SLIGHTLY heavier than even the earliest Wood lid handled kettles.

Notice how the Chicago era kettles through the early Arlington Heights thumbscrews that the grate straps are in line with the bowl handles or in a "plus sign" configuration. Seems late in the late 1960s (1967-68 or just prior to PAT PENDING era) they switched to the present day "X" pattern grate straps.

[MartyG]

Beautiful kettle - one I hope to find someday. Craig is right about the beast-like grate, and I thought it interesting to note that the earlier grate (I mean from the original kettle a few years before) had no handles on them. Same tank-like bars though. These things are heavy metal!

http://weberkettleclub.com/blog/2014/05/10/1952-georges-barbecue-kettle/#prettyPhoto[gallery-2425]/12/

[Weber MD]

Honesty and integrity win the day.  Amazing score Idahawk.

[charred]

George Stephen bought out WBMW in 1958 and changed the name to Weber Stephen that year. The lid was redesigned to this style in 1956. This is a 1956-early 1958 kettle at best.

That cooking grate, that's a beast! That is totally restorable and useable from the looks of it. That's gotta be built like a tank! I also feel that the MLH lids are SLIGHTLY heavier than even the earliest Wood lid handled kettles.

Notice how the Chicago era kettles through the early Arlington Heights thumbscrews that the grate straps are in line with the bowl handles or in a "plus sign" configuration. Seems late in the late 1960s (1967-68 or just prior to PAT PENDING era) they switched to the present day "X" pattern grate straps.

Interesting... what about the bowl handles as compared to these? Do we know when they were changed?

[Craig]

George Stephen bought out WBMW in 1958 and changed the name to Weber Stephen that year. The lid was redesigned to this style in 1956. This is a 1956-early 1958 kettle at best.

That cooking grate, that's a beast! That is totally restorable and useable from the looks of it. That's gotta be built like a tank! I also feel that the MLH lids are SLIGHTLY heavier than even the earliest Wood lid handled kettles.

Notice how the Chicago era kettles through the early Arlington Heights thumbscrews that the grate straps are in line with the bowl handles or in a "plus sign" configuration. Seems late in the late 1960s (1967-68 or just prior to PAT PENDING era) they switched to the present day "X" pattern grate straps.

Interesting... what about the bowl handles as compared to these? Do we know when they were changed?

The metal bowl handles on the 18.5's were always a version if the one pictured. Late in the Wood Dale years just prior to the change to teak lid handles, the welding points were more rounded off. Now metal lid handled 18s always had the same style lid handle as the 22s/26s.

Example of a "later" 18 MBH. From a PAT PENDING Cado 18.

[charred]

The metal bowl handles on the 18.5's were always a version if the one pictured. Late in the Wood Dale years just prior to the change to teak lid handles, the welding points were more rounded off. Now metal lid handled 18s always had the same style lid handle as the 22s/26s.

Example of a "later" 18 MBH. From a PAT PENDING Cado 18.

Ok....the Age Guide page here says '56 was the first year the kettle took its current shape. It also says the 56/57s are the only ones w/ the solid triangle base.

Does this mean 56s can be distinguished from 57s by the different bowl handles? For instance, Idahawk's black beauty is a 56 while my custom is a 57?

Lol.

[zavod44]

@charred,   I think your confusing the 22" and the 18".  The 18" had the strap bowl handles, and the standard round handle on the lid..... the 22"s had the standard round handles on the bowl and on the lid.   You have an 18".  Idahawk has a 22". 

WBMW= Weber Bros Metal Works

[G$]

What a story, and what a kettle!  Remarkable!

[glrasmussen]

Awesome score! Looking forward to more pictures and the rest of the story.

[Idahawk]

Rolling out in the am , can't wait to see it in person , pics to follow

[Uncle JJ]

Amazing find!

[charred]

@charred,   I think your confusing the 22" and the 18".  The 18" had the strap bowl handles, and the standard round handle on the lid..... the 22"s had the standard round handles on the bowl and on the lid.   You have an 18".  Idahawk has a 22". 

WBMW= Weber Bros Metal Works

Ahaaaaaaaa! Thank you. Now I'll be able to sleep. 

I just reread the thread to see if I'd missed a mention of size. The vent location had me thinking Ida's was an 18. So, next question therefore is, when did they relocate the top vent on the 22s? Lol. Whoever is making the History of the Weber Kettle coffee table book, please hurry. 

[zavod44]

There is a 1962 catalog that shows the vents located in the same location as Idahawks (perpendicular to the handle) and I believe either the 1963 or 64 catalog has them changed to the position that is in line with the handle.  So an educated guesstimate is 63-64 changed positions....

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[1buckie]

  "Whoever is making the History of the Weber Kettle coffee table book, please hurry.  "


But....then all the excitement and mystery will be over...........