A woman who found a Le Creuset pot in a charity shop for just $15 (£11) says she feels like she "won the lottery" after discovering the piece may be worth far more. The shopper, from the US, initially assumed the small pot was fake because of its low price, but research revealed it is a genuine Cousances piece, a French brand acquired by Le Creuset in 1957.
Markings Reveal Pre-1957 Origins
In a Reddit post, the woman explained that the pot, which was sold without a lid, had markings on the bottom indicating it was made by Cousances, likely before the Le Creuset acquisition. She wrote: "I picked this up today at the thrift (no lid) for $15, assuming it was fake but still a cool find. Upon further research of the markings on the bottom, I found out it's a Cousances, likely made before 1957 when Le Creuset acquired them."
She added: "But I'm super curious if there's any way to pinpoint exactly what year it's from, and its worth? Does anyone know more about the history? It looks to be in incredible condition if it's from the 50s. I feel like I won the lottery."
Value Estimates and Collector Reactions
Commenters offered varying estimates of the pot's value. One person said: "40-50 bucks. I was reselling LC [Le Creuset] stuff for years. This isn't anything that would really get too much more than that, unless you want to sit on it for months to get an extra 20."
Another, who collects vintage pieces, said they would pay up to $80 (£58) due to its "stellar condition". They shared: "I can confirm that this is a Cousances from the maker's mark pre-1957. I could write a whole paragraph on that, but I'll spare you. But it's rare to find one with no chips on the rim. Especially given how someone has clearly gone to town with a metal utensil in that beauty. Excellent score."
They added: "I collect vintage flame, so I probably know an embarrassing amount about it. But if I were in the market (I'm not), I'd say $80ishUSD (£60) is reasonable given its stellar condition. A more rare colour like Elysees or Paris Blue would go for 3x that."
Debate Over Missing Lid
Commenters also debated whether the pot was missing its lid. One said: "I believe it is missing its lid. As far as worth? If it does indeed have a lid missing, that will knock the price down. Zero idea about the worth, but they seem to go for between $60-80, sometimes a little more."
Another argued: "Pots like this don’t always have lids, and the enamelled rim hints at that. I believe Le Creuset and Cousance made some fondue pots like this, and they didn’t come with lids."
Le Creuset is a high-end cookware brand, with the smallest cast-iron saucepan on the UK website costing £219 new. The brand's products are handcrafted in France using high-grade materials and come with a lifetime guarantee covering repairs or replacements for defects under normal domestic use.
