PD do you have any idea of when the C C Harding & Sons foundry might have commenced making camp ovens?????
SBB

Notice the writting on the 17" models in the photo are marked "C HARDING"
I read somewhere on here that it has something to do with the Foundry changing hands within the family.
It could have been Astro or "The Furph" who brought it up.

Mick.

What would a 13" CC Harding be worth? I paid $40 for one at a swap meet and it is in real good condition. I dont  want to get rid of it because it would probably be the only piece of aussie iron i would ever be able to get my hands on but would like to now its value.

They're only worth what people are prepared at the time. There's too much inconsistency with prices these day's to put an actual value on them. I bought a 13" Harding oven on ebay last year for $50, the last one that was listed on ebay sold for $142 and was possibly a copy.
So I think it poses a tricky question to put a value on some of these cast iron collectables.
Just my thoughts,
Astro

Just a corrections to the post above.

The foundry was not closed down due to workcover or poor safety concern. It closed due to the retirement of the original son.

The foundry commenced operation in 1927. From memory we also made a larger oven in limited numbers. I think around 21".

Plenty of stuff I'd like to ask you H S, I've tried to find out about the Harding foundry thru the historical society in Ballarat but there is very little they could tell me. The mis-information re poor safety etc is what I was told by a bloke in another foundry !
I have several 13" ovens, one an old one with two round sprue marks on the base and the name under the lid, all the others are well marked with the name both over and under. I also have a nice 11" skillet with the name on the side.
Good ovens and I'd swap my Furphy's for them.

pd

Oh well, looks like I'll have to take a trip to Korumba...

pd

You're right Kev, plus I always get Karumba and Kuranda mixed up, not good if you were a long distance truck driver and didn't read the delivery dockets properly. Riverstone instead of Riverwood like I did once...

pd

Harding Son wrote on Apr 9^th, 2009 at 9:08pm:

When did it actually close?

KD

Hi, Very interesting piece of history about the C C Harding foundry. I own a 13in oven and 13in pan. The lid from the oven also fits the pan. The pan is just fantastic and can cook up a feast. The lid also makes a great scrambled egg pan when turned upside down. I purchased my oven and pan direct from the foundry in the late 80's and had to order both so that they could be cast. I think I paid $100 for both. I note that a 11in oven went for $355 on ebay this March '10 which is a reflection of a great collectable product. But how could one part with a bit of history and the knowledge that you are cooking with Aussie thru blue. WWobbler

G'day Maloney.
I've been told the newer Harding ovens are easy to pick as they have a ten digit phone number on the lid which begins with 03 and not 053 like yours. Not sure which year we went to ten digit phone numbers so that baby of yours pre-dates that.
BTW what size is that one ? Some Hardings have the size on the lid, some don't.

pd

G'day maloney, the more I look at all Harding ovens the more differences I see, they are all basically the same but with small changes, your 13 is different to the ones I have as it has no size on the lid and the lid handle is more rounded than mine are.
Same thing with other sized Hardings I have, they are all slightly different, some have the size on the lid the others don't, although they stuck with the same classic shape, molds were replaced and small changes crept in however putting an age on an oven is almost impossible. That's the way I see it anyway.

pd

hiluxxcab wrote on Jul 6^th, 2012 at 5:42pm:



Hi and welcome to the forum. Nice pair of ovens.


Derek

maloney wrote on Feb 6^th, 2009 at 8:02am:


I would say $350.

KD

I've heard there are some Harding repo/fake's out there doing the rounds and I'm interested in the opinion of some of the Harding gurus on this forum, as to whether my recently acquired 13 incher is the real deal or not.  

Very disappointed in Imageshack in that a lot of the photos that were on this page have gone.

If you still have them would be nice to see them reposted.

Saltbush Bill wrote on Jun 28^th, 2016 at 6:59pm:


G'day SB,
Sorry for the late reply.
In answer to your question, l wondered whether it was a fake because it was very inexpensive, it looked new and without any sign of weathering or age. To all intents and purposes it could have easily passed for leaving the factory gate yesterday. To my mind the mint condition of the unit was very unusual considering the time which has elapsed since C C Harding pots were fabricated. Further, there was a rumour going around Central Victoria at the time that a backyard foundry were fabricating fake Harding COs and cashing in on their collectability and popularity, particularly considering that Harding were no longer in business and their ovens were fetching astronomical prices on the secondhand market


Since then l have compared my Harding with  another similar pot which the owners family apparently bought directly from the Harding factory and the two pots match very closely.

I now believe that my beloved 13 incher is a genuine Harding and that l was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to pick up this model in such good condition and at a very affordable price.  

Over the years since then I have found the Harding 13incher to be an excellent allrounder and possibly a little more versatile than my 12 inch Billmans, due to the slightly larger diameter and the slightly longer and better quality legs.

Yep, that sounds about right.
Jimfish, see private messages.

A 13" Harding just went for $820 on Ebay. Is that some kind of record . Mine cost $87 in about 1987.They are a nice oven.

Many years ago, I was managing a small supermarket in Ballarat across the road from  C Harding and Sons Foundry, Bill Harding was  regular and dry witted high point in every day.  Long after the foundry had ceased to operate, I mentioned to Bill (without really knowing the foundry name) , that I was trying to get  Harding camp oven for my dad, who at the time lived a long way from civilization in the Palmer River area in far north Queensland.  Bill said,  have you ever read the sign on my place?   I looked across the road... That's you? He laughed.  A week later he returned with Dad's new camp oven in a box.  He said "I hope he uses it for a long time, it's the last one I will ever make" 3 years ago, dad passed it to my son, who painstakingly cleaned and seasoned it, and uses it once a year on an Easter camping trip with his mates.  Thanks Bill, I miss being stirred up by you every day but your name will live on as long as campfires exist.

Not my photos however Brett Wright has given permission to post up these of a 7 inch Hardings he just picked up.

Great find for sure

Hi there i have a harding and sons no 15. What would it be worth