R&E and Waterman gem pans

[Steve Stephens]

Doug, you have this information about the Waterman and R&E gem pans-

http://www.castironcollector.com/waterman.php

I was always under the impression that R&E did not have a foundry and was, in most cases, not the maker of the merchandise that it sold as being a hardware jobber. They were into making locks I think but cast iron cookware? Can you shed more light on them making the R&E gem pans or why you think that they may have made them and/or cookware?
Thanks.

 

[Doug D.]

Although I can't say unequivocally, my impression from researching them has always been that for several reasons: The name of the company being R&E Manufacturing Co, they were known for the types of products that would also certainly put cast iron hollow ware within their scope of abilities, and the fact that they were documented assignees of the Waterman baking pan patent. It would seem the selling of products under license from a patent holder would not require a company to go so far as to obtain an assignation of the patent. My understanding has always been that it was Waterman who only marketed but did not actually manufacture the pans bearing his name.

 

[Steve Stephens]

Some R&E history here but nothing specifically on the gem pans. Could be that R&E had the pans made for them by an existing foundry as Waterman may have also. At the time R&E got the patent rights maybe they took over the sale of the pans and had them made in the same foundry as the Waterman pans. Not a definitive answer but, so far, nothing set in stone about who made these pans.