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EmailEmail   • Most PopularMost Popular  Antiques: Guardian
cookware, vintage records, Viewmasters  Question: I have six
pieces of Guardian cookware, complete with their original glass
lids. My mom bought them sometime during the late 1940s or early
'50s. Can you tell me more about this cookware and whether it is
collectible? -- Beth, Goodyear  Answer: Guardian Service
cookware is made of heavy-duty aluminum construction, and its
main selling point was that food could be prepared quickly using
very little water.  The cookware was introduced during the 1930s
by the Century Metalcraft Co. of Los Angeles and sold by
independent salesmen who went door-to-door and staged house
parties, much like Tupperware. Guardian cookware was expensive.
An entire set would cost about $2,000 in today's dollars.  To
find out more, check out  I have seen dozens of pieces in shops
throughout the city, including a roaster with domed lid, $85; a
triangular pot with glass lid, $45