What is this?

[hannahb]

Does anyone know exactly what this odd looking aluminium pan is for?

On the side is stamped Bulpitt Birmingham, and on the lid it says Swan Brand. The lid fits well but there's a small chance it's not the original.

It came from our Guides unit cupboard of camping gear, which we are reducing a bit because we have to move. There's no one in the unit now who can remember what it was designed for, but we used to use it for heating water on the fire.

The spout is soldered on, and the body looks as though it fits inside something else.

I have searched and searched online and not found anything like it.

It's around 9 inches wide and 12 inches tall.

On the other side is a short, horizontal, fixed handle for pouring.

We have wondered about it being a double boiler, but for what?

Suggestions very welcome!

 

[Maj]

I would suggest that it sat inside a larger pan without touching the bottom and resting on the slightly wider stepped diameter just below the spout and handle. The pot it would have sat would be filled with water such that the water boiled heating the inner pot that you have and hence not overheating/over cooking/burning the contents. Same technique as an egg poacher.

Saucepan, 1950s

From the collection of Cheese World Museum. Conditions of Use: All rights reserved. Please refer to source page for full media reuse details.

victoriancollections.net.au

 

[hannahb]

Can you think of what you would cook like that? It seems to be an army sort of pan, with the wide handle and the heavy built nature, than a domestic one, and I'm struggling to think of what they would cook in the field that would need that treatment. The spout is also a bit puzzling because you wouldn't pour sauces like that.

I agree that it looks like it sat inside something else, but most (all?) double boilers are taller, with the top pan being much further from the heat source.

 

[mikem]

Bulpitt did make the swan brand (& goblin teasmade / first electric kettles): https://www.swan-brand.co.uk/about-2/heritage/

 

[cavemanmike]

Rice pudding cooker 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

 

[Jim MacPherson]

Could have been part of a cooking canteen, I think we had a couple of similar things in the scouts, a couple of billies and a dixie that sat inside each other, for storage etc and I did have a solo camping set with a kettle, pan and lid that doubled as a plate/frying pan, somewhat smaller but worked OK.

From what I remember of one scout/guide mixed activity in the Cheviots in the 1960's the guides were much more organised than we slovenly, adolescent, scouts.

Jim

 

[mikem]

My best guess would be a coffee pot kept warm in a catering bain marie

 

[Loki]

Soup?

 

[kay]

This lacks the spout but the inner pan has a similar body shape

Hart Double Boiler – vintage kitchenalia

Hart double boiler with metal handles and "hart" on the lid (bakelite handle) and side of the pot. Still the best double boiler today. 19 cms to top of lid. Dont hesitate to ask any questions.

www.thebrightbeetle.com

 

[RobinGriffiths]

Wow. Could be part of a triple boiler if the body fits in something else!

 

[iwebb]

My dad used to use a very similar item with a smaller spout and a base pan
The base held the boiling water and he made porridge in the top part (pictured)
It was called a porringer

 

[mikem]

Searching "porringer with spout" this is the nearest thing that comes up (they are usually used for reheating porridge that has been made previously):

VINTAGE ALUMINIUM DOUBLE SAUCEPAN PORRINGER | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VINTAGE ALUMINIUM DOUBLE SAUCEPAN PORRINGER at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk