Collecting Vintage Hammered Aluminum

People think I am crazy for collecting hammered aluminum. I am crazy for hand wrought, hammered aluminum, and I know that I am just ahead of my time.

I started this page to collect information on Rodney Kent, Continental and other cool pieces I have discovered on my travels. These shiny treasures are usually found in the bottom of a crate, looking out of place and lonely.  A small bit of that shine peeking out from under the kitchen grunge. I’m always happy rescue them, come home and polish them up to a new, space-age shine.

Most of these serving pieces were made in the 40’s and 50’s. When silversmiths and other metalworkers turned their talents to this lightweight and versatile material.

Aluminum kitchenware is lightweight, durable and practical. It is safe for an outdoor picnic yet graceful enough for an elegant dinner table.

Hand wrought aluminum is one of those collectibles that has a small loyal following, but hasn’t been discovered yet by mainstream collectors. Now is the time to snap up those beautiful pieces at bargain prices!

Two famous patterns are the Rodney Kent Tulip and his Tulip and Ribbons pattern and the Continental Chrysanthemums.  Here are a few current and former members of my collection.

Tips for Polishing Your Vintage Aluminum Serving Pieces

The collectible aluminum pieces I find are usually just suffering from a little kitchen grime.

The easiest way I’ve found to clean them is to just spray them with an orange cleaner. Spray it on then just let it soak for a few minutes. In a moment your vintage aluminum serving pieces should rinse off shiny and bright.

A good grease cutter and a soft sponge will work if you don’t have orange spray. Or use plain lemon juice and let it soak for a few minutes.

DO NOT use any kind of scrubbers or abrasive polishes. Even salt will scratch the finish off your aluminum if you aren’t careful.

Hallmarks Found on Hand Wrought and Hammered Aluminum Collectibles I am starting a collection of all the different hallmarks to be found on your favorite aluminum serving pieces.  But I have discovered that not all Rodney Kent pieces are marked! Some of the Kent pieces are easy to identify by his famous tulip flower pattern. These are from Rodney Kent, Continental and Buenilum.
Hand Wrought Creations by Rodney Kent  Rectangular hallmark for pattern 429	Hand Wrought Rodney Kent Silver Co.  Triangle hallmark for pattern 404
Continental Hall Mark Hand Wrought Silverlook Hallmark for pattern 572	Buenilum Hand Wrought Hallmark

A Few Former Members of My Vintage Hammered Aluminum Collection
Hammered Aluminum Rodney Kent Covered Casserole A fantastic covered casserole done in hammered aluminum and has a beautiful tulip relief on the top and a tulip handle on the lid.	Hammered Aluminum Rodney Kent Basket Dish 429 This dish has the famous tulip design on the bottom. The basket handle shows off the unique pattern. Hallmark reads “Hand Wrought Creations by Rodney Kent #429”.
Continental Aluminum Chrysanthemum Tray with Handles This aluminum tray has is done in the Chrysanthemum pattern.  Each end has a delicate, etched leaf attached. The bottom is marked “Continental Trade Mark Hand Wrought Silverlook 572”.	Continental Aluminum Chrysanthemum Tray The edges have a scalloped edge with crimps.  There is a beautiful mum on a leafy branch done in relief on the bottom of the tray.

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