It seems I have come across a true "1 of 1" Weber Bros 18" kettle. Part of this thread is a show and tell of sorts, but more importantly a request for some info and possible history. I am very honored to have this kettle. Here we go....
Here is a shot of the lid of the kettle the day I first saw it in person. At this point I knew it was something special.
Here is a shot of the kettle and lid out in the sunlight. The color of this one can be described as "bright burnt orange", kind of a persimmon color. The finish has a bumpy texture, very similar to the texture of a spatter finish you would see on drywall. It's not paint, but porcelain like all of our kettles.
A few days later it was cleaned up. The grill only came as a bowl and lid. No legs or grates. Having said that, it didn't appear to be cooked on much at all, and must have been stored inside as the lid vent rivet was rust free. The kettle and lid was cleaned up using my favorite 1/4 laundry detergent and 3/4 water cleaning technique. (more on that later) Here are some "cleaned up" shots of the lid and bowl:
Being that this grill is a Weber Bros, and has the early "welded pipe" leg sockets, it was begging for an ash-pan triangle. A local metal-man was found who could bend up a custom triangle out of 14ga bare steel. I welded up the corners as well as the front leg "tab" and axle straps on the bottom.
Once the pan was fabricated, it was time to choose a paint color. A forum member was able to help by providing this pic of one in original paint.
Finally, the grill was assembled.
I would like to thank a few forum members for your help. (You know who you are) Without your assist, this build would not have been possible!
If you have ANY info about a grill like this, please inform us. This kettle is truly an honor to own and have worked on!