Iittala Sarpaneva Cast Iron Casserole

When you read the description of this pot on any website, including Amazon's, it sounds as if the iittala company decided that cooks today needed another chance to own this beautiful, practical pot, so they decided to manufacture it again.The descriptions, which wax rhapsodic about the pots proudly bearing the Timo Sarpeneva Design stamp, (and the $230 price tag), lead one to believe it is manufactured in Finland. Some of the seller's descriptions, including Amazon's, actually state that this pot is made in Finland. Not so!A tiny paper sticker reveals the country of origin to be China.The finishing made me suspicious before I saw the sticker-it's rather rough around the edges, not smooth like the original Finnish ones made in the 1960's.I actually ordered this pot twice-the first time, it arrived with a big chip off the edge, which was strange, because as the chipped-off piece wasn't in the box, it must have been put into the box that way.So much for quality control, but I really wanted one of these pots, and I convinced myself that mistakes could happen to anyone.I didn't examine the box at that time, or I would have seen the Made in China sticker discreetly located on the bottom.When the second pot arrived, I was again a little disappointed in the finishing of the edges, because for $230 this should be a high quality, carefully made piece of cookware, but the design is too adorable for words, so I was ready to keep it anyway.Then I noticed the China sticker.Seriously?If I buy a Le Creuset pot and pay $230, at least I know it's made in France!If it's going to be a knockoff, it better also have a knockoff price tag.You can get a Le Creuset-style pot made in China at Target for $50.If this pot cost $50, I'd figure I was getting what I paid for.I had been reading various cooking blogs in which rabid Le Creuset lovers discussed the iittala and other expensive cast-iron cooking pots, and the funny thing is, all of them seemed to believe that these pots are made in Finland.Go to the iittala site and give their advertising for these pots a really close read.Nowhere is this claim actually made, although it is very much implied.I started to wonder if perhaps it was simply the packaging that was made in China, so I called the U.S. distributor for iittala.They were quite up front, telling me that ALL of the iittala cast-iron products are made in China.Apparently the home company, which the advertising implies is producing this pot,only makes a few of the iittala products, such as the $3000 artisan glass vases.Needless to say, I returned the pot.Given the quality of the finishing, it isn't worth $230.I felt it deserved two stars simply becauseTimo Sarpaneva's design is immortal-practical and lyrical at once, and I regret that the iittala company doesn'trespect his work enough to see that it is produced as it should be.I also don't appreciate being intentionally deceived.

I was suprised to see this on amazon, its a design classic and something I've always wanted. The pot is heavy cast iron with a white enamel interior and is made very well. The handle on mine had a bit of the finish off where it slides through the pot, but I figured this would happen with use regardless.Love it!

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Wonderful cast iron pot which brings artistic beauty to the table.Design started in the 1960's still classic today.

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