Proud Secondhand Shopper Shares Photos Of 'Holy Grail' Vintage Kitchen Find: 'Can't Believe I Found One!'

Whenever someone spends years searching for antique and vintage treasures, they almost always proclaim to have found the "holy grail" when they actually manage to stumble upon what they've been looking for. Such was the case with Redditor SwimfanZA, who recently posted on r/kitchenaid that they had found the holy grail of copper mixing bowls: "Holy Grail bowl found!!" they titled their post, adding, "Copper and brass bowl made in France for the Bridge Company of NYC. Still can't believe I found one!!!" 

The mixing bowl in question was fitted with attachments made specifically for the KitchenAid K5 mixer series, which has been in production since the 1930s. The bowl itself bears the mark of Bridge Kitchenware, a now-defunct Manhattan kitchenware store that specialized in high-quality items. Now, as an avid cook and vintage cooking tool user myself, I can certainly agree with the post's replies, which commended SwimfanZA on how beautiful the piece looks.

There's one particular comment that stood out to me, however, as I think it speaks to a broader mindset around vintage cooking items. It reads: "Honestly, I do wish I had that bowl for food photos." And this, for me, is a bit of a problem, because I don't believe that vintage and beautiful items should be reserved as vanity showpieces. Instead, that copper bowl should be used for what it is actually designed to do.

Now, the comments on SwimfanZA's post weren't all sunshine and rainbows. Some fellow Redditors were rightly concerned about the dangers of copper cookware. One commented: "I guess you'll need to check the pH of everything you put in your mixing bowl now. Copper is toxic and corrodes in the presence of acidic ingredients. I think this is a pretty useless (and potentially dangerous) product unless you whip egg whites on a daily basis."

Unlike the tin-lined copper cookware you often find in stores these days, SwimfanZA's mixing bowl is pure untreated copper inside and out. This presents a problem if you're trying to use it on a daily basis, because the copper will leach into your food – especially if you're mixing acidic ingredients in there. Whipping egg whites and making candy are what these bowls are really best for. The ions in the copper react with egg whites, causing them to peak faster, while the high sugar content in some ingredients prevents any copper corrosion.

Now, if SwimfanZA is a consistent baker or a soufflé lover, they made a great purchase. But I also agree that most copper bowls are useless unless someone knows how to use them. Otherwise, yes, they're only worth taking out of the pantry when someone wants to show off their copper cookware collection.