Enamelware, Graniteware, and Kitchen Collectibles at Round Top

A French enamel coffee pot in deep blue with a brass handle was priced at $85 at a Warrenton booth last spring. The same piece, identified as a 1920s Émaillerie Lorraine and listed correctly, sells in a Brooklyn vintage shop for $340. That's the Round Top enamelware market in one transaction: undervalued, abundant, and constantly turning up in fields full of dealers who don't specialize.

Enamelware (technically called vitreous enamel, which is glass fused to metal) hit its peak from 1860 through 1940. The colors, the patterns, the variety — there's a reason serious collectors hunt for it. And Round Top is one of the best places in the country to find it cheap.

What Counts as Enamelware

The "enamelware" category at Round Top loosely covers:

• Graniteware — American mottled enamelware, mostly gray, blue, or brown
• Agateware — similar to graniteware but with finer marbling, often brown or green
• French enamelware — bright solid colors, often with brass handles, very decorative
• German and Czech enamelware — patterns and floral designs, white backgrounds
• British enamelware — utilitarian, often white with blue trim
• Mid-century American enamel — pastel solid colors (jadite green, butter yellow, robin's egg blue)
• Industrial enamel — signs, hospital ware, gas station enamel

The category overlaps with general "kitchen collectibles," which also includes cast iron, copper, wood, and tin kitchenware.

Where to Find It at Round Top

Enamelware is everywhere, but concentrations:

• Warrenton — the cheapest and most abundant. Multiple dealers with stacks of enamelware
• Bar W — usually 2-3 dealers with quality vintage kitchen
• Big Red Barn — generalists, mixed quality
• Marburger Farm — high-end French and decorative enamelware, fully priced
• Blue Hills — usually 1-2 specialists in European kitchenware
• The Compound — curated for visual appeal, premium prices

The best deals are at Warrenton from dealers selling estate-find boxes. The premium pieces with proper identification are at Marburger Farm.

Graniteware: The American Standard

Graniteware (gray, blue, brown, and red speckled enamelware) was made by dozens of American manufacturers from 1880-1940. It's abundant at Round Top and prices have been climbing.

Common pieces and prices:

• Small bowls (5-8 inches): $15-$45
• Larger bowls and basins: $40-$120
• Coffee pots: $80-$250
• Teapots: $60-$180
• Roasting pans: $50-$150
• Wash basins and bowls: $30-$100
• Dippers and ladles: $25-$80
• Pitchers: $80-$300

The premium pieces:

• Cobalt blue graniteware: 50-100% more than gray
• Red and white swirl: rare, $150-$500+ per piece
• Brown and white "end of day" pieces (made from leftover enamel batches): $200-$1,000+
• Large display pieces (4+ gallon storage crocks): $300-$800

French Enamelware: The Sleeper Market

French enamelware from 1900-1950 is the most visually striking enamel at Round Top. Bright solid colors (cobalt blue, sunflower yellow, deep red, forest green) with brass handles and lid finials.

The major French makers:

• Émaillerie Lorraine — the most prestigious
• Japy — wide variety, very decorative
• Le Creuset — yes, the same company, but vintage pieces from 1925-1960 are distinct from modern production
• Various unmarked French manufacturers

At Round Top, French enamel prices:

• Small bowls and cups: $25-$80
• Coffee pots and teapots: $80-$300
• Lidded containers ("biscuit canisters," coffee canisters): $60-$200
• Storage jar sets: $200-$600 for a complete set
• Wash basins and pitchers: $100-$400

The signature look — solid color with brass trim — is highly collectible right now, especially the canister sets in graduated sizes. A complete coffee/sugar/flour/spice set in matched color sells for $400-$1,200 at retail. At Round Top, you can sometimes assemble similar sets for $250-$500 piecing together individual pieces.

Czech and German Enamelware

Eastern European enamelware (1900-1940) tends to feature patterns — florals, fruits, landscapes — on white backgrounds. These pieces are very decorative and often hand-painted under the glaze.

Common at Round Top:

• Patterned bowls: $30-$120
• Patterned pitchers: $80-$300
• Patterned cookware: $60-$200
• Hand-painted decorative pieces: $100-$500

The patterned enamelware market has been growing as people move away from minimalism in kitchen aesthetics. A wall of patterned Czech enamel bowls is a statement piece in any modern kitchen.

Mid-Century American Enamel

The pastel-colored enamel of the 1940s-1960s (jadite green, butter yellow, pink, light blue) has its own dedicated following. These pieces are often less expensive than antique enamelware but rising fast.

Common pieces:

• Mid-century mixing bowls: $25-$80 each, $80-$200 for graduated sets
• Coffee percolators: $40-$120
• Bread boxes: $80-$250
• Canister sets: $100-$300

The jadite-green pieces (sometimes called "fire-king" though that's technically glass) consistently command the highest prices in this category.

Industrial Enamel and Signs

Enamel signs from gas stations, drugstores, and businesses are massively popular for industrial-style decor.

At Round Top:

• Small enamel signs (under 12 inches): $80-$300
• Medium enamel signs (12-24 inches): $200-$800
• Large enamel signs (24+ inches): $400-$2,500+
• Pre-war enamel signs with original colors: significant premium

Beware reproductions. Reproduction enamel signs are everywhere. Real vintage enamel signs:

• Have weight (heavier than reproductions)
• Show "chipping" where enamel has come off the metal in flakes (not smooth wear)
• Have rust around the edges and bolt holes
• Have a slight unevenness to the enamel surface
• Are not "antiqued" perfectly — they have actual age damage

How to Spot Reproductions

Enamelware reproductions are abundant. Here's what to look for:

Modern reproductions of antique pieces:

• Sharp, perfectly uniform colors
• Too-smooth enamel surfaces
• No chipping or wear in expected places (handles, bottoms, rims)
• Modern markings or stamps ("Made in China," "Made in India")
• Inappropriate weight (often lighter than originals)

Decorative "vintage-style" pieces (1970s-2000s):

• Painted-on patterns rather than fired underglaze
• Soft surface (real enamel is hard and glassy)
• Modern construction (welded handles vs. older crimped or riveted)
• Sold at retail chain stores originally

The fingernail test: real vintage enamel is hard and your fingernail can't scratch it. Painted-on "enamel-look" pieces will scratch.

Condition Issues

Enamelware is glass on metal — and glass chips. Some wear is expected and acceptable. Major damage is not.

Acceptable wear:

• Small chips at the rim (almost universal)
• Wear on the handle attachment points
• Slight color fading from sun exposure
• Light rust at chips and edges

Concerning damage:

• Large enamel loss exposing significant metal
• Deep rust through the underlying metal
• Cracks (especially through the bowl of the piece)
• Heavy chipping all over (suggests dropping or rough handling)

The two scenarios for damaged enamelware:

1. Buy at heavy discount for decorative use only (chipped pieces look great on shelves)
2. Skip entirely if it's not functionally sound

Pricing by Use Case

Enamelware splits into three buyer categories:

Decorators (the largest group) — paying for visual appeal, color, and patina. Will accept some wear.

Collectors — paying for specific makers, patterns, and condition. Want pristine examples.

Cooks (yes, this is a real category) — actually using vintage enamel cookware. Need pieces with intact enamel and food-safe condition.

Important note for cooks: old enamelware (pre-1970s) may contain lead in the glaze, especially red, yellow, and orange colors. Use these pieces for decoration only. White and gray graniteware is generally lead-safe but test with a kit if you want certainty.

Building a Collection

If you're building an enamelware collection, common strategies:

Color-themed: all cobalt blue, all red and white, all jadite green Maker-themed: focus on Émaillerie Lorraine or specific American manufacturers Pattern-themed: all Czech florals, all geometric patterns Function-themed: all coffee pots, all bowls, all storage canisters

Round Top is uniquely good for color-themed collections because the volume is high enough to find consistent colors over multiple visits.

Negotiating

Enamelware dealers at Round Top are generally flexible. The pieces are abundant, easy to come by, and dealers know they're not rare individually.

Typical negotiations:

• Asking price $45 — pay $35-$40
• Asking price $120 — pay $90-$100
• Asking price $300 — pay $235-$260

Bundle deals work great. "I'll take these six pieces for $X." You'll often get 25-35% off the marked totals on bundles.

Display Strategies

Enamelware looks best in groupings, not as single pieces.

Strong display ideas:

• A stack of graduated mixing bowls on a kitchen island
• A wall of hanging enamel ladles, dippers, and small pitchers
• A shelf of color-themed enamel pieces (all blue, all red, etc.)
• French canister sets lined up on open shelving
• Vintage enamel signs as wall art (no other framing needed)

Avoid: single-piece displays. One enamel coffee pot on a counter looks lost. Three together looks intentional.

Storage and Care

Enamelware is durable but not indestructible. Care tips:

Store individually wrapped if stacking. Stacking unprotected pieces causes chip-to-chip damage.

Don't soak in soapy water. Old enamelware can absorb moisture through chips and develop rust internally. Wash quickly and dry immediately.

Don't put in dishwasher. The heat cycles can crack older enamelware over time.

Keep out of direct sunlight long-term. Colors fade, especially reds and yellows.

Where to Start

If you're new to enamelware at Round Top, start with a single piece in a color you love. Buy a coffee pot, a bowl, or a small pitcher under $100. Live with it. See how it looks in your kitchen.

If you want more after that — and you will — come back next show and start building intentionally. Pick a color or a maker. Hunt patiently. The right pieces show up.

The single best enamelware buying day at Round Top: the last Sunday of the show. Dealers don't want to haul enamelware home (it's heavy and fragile). The closing deals on enamelware are some of the most aggressive discounts of the entire show.

Browse vendors on Round Top Finder for sellers specializing in kitchen collectibles and enamelware, and use the map to plan your hunt across the venues.