I wondered it it was a cream skimmer, though they usually have longer handles than that.

Looks like a splatter guard to me.

Wrong avatar again. It's loosestrife with the spatter guard not Iciar.

looks like a steamer plate to me. but no idea really.

Kitchenalia is outside my area of expertise!

The company has now been taken over by Le Creuset so if you send them a photo they may be able to tell you what it was intended for.It spossible that the French company might have some historical records.

This is the email for the UK branch :

helpline.uk@lecreuset.com or call our friendly Customer Service team on the UK freephone line 0800 373792,

Looks like a splatter guard to me too! My, sort of, memory of how the French produce edible escargot doesn't make me think this is something they are cooked on!

A steamer plate it is or a cream skimmer or a splatter guard. This company has been in business since 1554 and the same forge has been in use since then. Lifting tabs such as the one you see in the picture was a very popular innovation of their own which they used in their skillets and other cookware. You have a very fine piece of collectible cookware whatever it's purpose.

Thank you all for your responses. I checked the internet for all of the suggestions. It seems a bit unwieldy for a milk skimmer because there is no way of preventing the handle from collapsing on to the plate. I have seen milk skimmers used in the dairy in my childhood but they tended to have fixed handles. It would be a devil to clean if used as a spatter guard so I have an idea that it might be a steaming plate. Thank you for the email address Stera, I will send a photo to Lecrueset in the hope that they do have archive material relating to my ?. I love it just for the shape and feel of it. I do not remember when I got it but I have used it as a trivet. I will let you know if I find out what it is. Loosestrife did you find your information on the internet and can you please tell me where? I found the dates but not the bit about the handle. When looking up your suggestions I came across many so called 'vintage items' which are still in use in my kitchen.

Internet: Cousances-Wikipedia

Thank you Loosestrife2 that was where I found the information too. It did not clarify the handle/lifting tab was as the one I have. I thought it was a wooden handle I will need to read it again. I have sent the photos to the address given by Steragram.

Could it be a chestnut roaster? They often have lids, but not always.

It actually looks like a cooker diffuser. For placing tagines on the gas, and basically lessening the intensity of the heat under a pot.

Thank you Landgirl and Sophiemears. Both good suggestions. I have had a reply from Le Creuset. They have checked back to 1980 and not found any thing similar. They are forwarding the photos to France in the hope that someone knows the answer. According to one website I looked at, when Cousances was taken over by Le Creuset, the logo was the same one as is now used by Le Creuset except that it said Cousances. The logo on this item is different so that might give them a clue of its age. My OH thought it might be a bed warmer. I will keep you updated on any news.

my oh suggested a heat diffuser to put on a gas flame to turn it into a heater. he has a similar device for a camping gaz stove. also cast iron.

I think your OH has probably got it right SBG. Lakeland show one on their website. The internet is full of heat diffusers to use on all kinds of cooker but few have handles exactly like this one. Many have wooden handles and the handles all lie flat, level with the top of the HD. I am getting lots of ideas on how I can use it in my kitchen.

Whatever this is it may be the only one left. Remember that thousands of tons of metal items including kitchen utensils were donated as scrap to be melted down for the war effort(WW2) and for the reconstruction period after that.

How exciting to think it might be rare. Maybe when the company see it they too will see its possibilities and start making it again. The railings around our house were taken for the war effort.

Haven't a clue but so interesting I had to comment so as to get your updates, hope you do get the answer S'gran.....

Thank you Linclass. I have been keeping up with how you are progressing and it is grand that what seemed like a very scary time is now past and you are looking forward with a new zest for life.

Thankyou S'gran, its all good for me now, last year done and dusted, lol......

The ups and downs of life Lynclass. I have had a busy time since arriving down here on Friday. Saturday Bjs and I attended the AGS show in Caerleon. He has done a lovely blog. On Sunday I took the kids to a potato day in Frome. It was a great success. The kids got to choose and plant up some seeds. They also made seed bombs. Yesterday we went to Birdland at Bourton on the Water. It rained heavily all day but we enjoyed the outing anyway. Today we are off to Pennard Plants to pick up a kiwi fruit bush I ordered on Sunday. Tomorrow its off to the dance show my granddaughter is in and then I will take my g'son back to stay with me in Malmesbury. Saturday we are off to explore a Roman Villa at Yarnsbury as he has a holiday project to do on the Romans. It never stops. I will be glad to go home for a holiday. lol.

Sorry S'gran my pages are acting up and I have only just found your response, sounds as though you had a great time, its many years since we went to Bourton but always visited Birdland I love it there, I would really enjoy exploring the Roman Villa, I have a fascination with history and we enjoy visiting such places, hope your grandson enjoyed it and that it helped with his project...

Another guess. I have been looking at cast iron cookware and have seen items similar to this though not the same company. Their function was to be placed in a pan for grilling purposes.

Loosestrife the mystery deepens? I have not had any more from Le Crueset. Linclass we loved the Roman Villa. It was nice to hear that they grew and used lots of the herbs we grow in our gardens. They used them for medical purposes as well as in cooking. My Grandson remembered lots of what we heard and saw so did a pretty good project. He is a typical boy and his favourite thing was the tools used for blood letting.

I have a heat diffuser similar to this to use on the gas cooker.

That is interesting Nanjo. It sounds similar to the item Seaburngirl,s OH uses on his camping stove.