Emig Products and the 1968 Catalog

Image from back cover of an Emig 1965 advertising supplement.

The following Comment was recently received from Lisa R.

I don’t collect trivets but I do collect Emig candle holders – one style in particular. I was searching for more info on the company and found your blog. The taper candle holders I’m mentioning are the companion candlesticks that go with the compote dish from your catalog images. I have bought several (on eBay) over the last 6 months or so and just wanted to say that most come to me as cast iron, as expected.

But lately I have received a few in what must be cast aluminum (or similar), then painted to look like iron. These alternate pieces are much lighter weight and you can see a silver-type metal showing through the matte black painted surface in areas (like at the bottom of the ‘feet’). No details in the shapes differ, but the aluminum candle holders also appear to be a smidge smaller in size to the iron ones. I don’t know if these light ones are knock offs (they carry the same Emig imprint on bottom, so if they are fakes, they’re pretty good ones) or if the company at some point cut costs by casting the old molds in alternate metals. But just thought I’d mention there are some non-iron items floating out there that look very similar… you would have to hold them together and weigh them to tell the difference. Just thought that tidbit might help someone else out there.

Lisa’s email sent me on a search through my Emig catalogs, looking for documentation of the metal(s) used. The cover of the 1979 Catalog states “Cast Metal Products”. Most items in Emig catalogs and price lists were identified simply by the finish, ie: Black, English Bronze, Antique Red, etc. There is one exception: Emig occasionally produced items clearly identified as being solid Brass.

In searching eBay I found a number of  Emig items identified by the sellers as Aluminum. Examples: Triangular Motto Plaques; Napkin Holders; Eagle Wall Mirrors; Fork & Spoon Cast Wall Art; and a Black Cat Door Stop.

My next step was to contact Lawrence D. Emig, the son of Emig founder Robert Emig. His answers serve as confirmation of the variety of metals used in Emig metal products … including aluminum.

Q: Do you have any information on the different types of metals used by Emig in their products?

A: “Cast aluminum, solid brass, and zinc aluminum with brass electroplating.”

Q: Do you know how many (if any) of their other products, besides Trivets, were made of cast iron?

A: “Bookends, muffin pans, and the Amish figures.”

The 1968 Emig Catalog

In January 2022 Lawrence D. (Larry) Emig granted permission to share this catalog with my readers. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to share! It’s such a wealth of information for vintage metalware collectors.

You’re more than welcome to scan and add the 1968 color catalog to your Trivetology blog. In looking through my collection of all of our catalogs, this one is very representative of our product mix throughout the years.

The (Emig) company was actually started in 1946, but not incorporated until 1956. After my Father’s death in 1989 I continued to operate the company until 2000, at which time I sold it to one of our suppliers.

Thanks for your interest! Larry Emig

The following 36 page 1968 Emig catalog was scanned in full resolution. The pages contain examples of their entire line of household accessories. Trivets are found on pages 22-25 and 27.

pages 1-10

pages 11-19

pages 20-29

pages 30-36

For more information on this company see my other blog post Robert Emig Products, Reading, PA.