Bicentennial Aluminum Tray

Nordic Ware, a family-owned manufacturing firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was founded in 1946 by brothers Dave and Mark Dalquist, as “Plastics for Industry.” In 1950, the brothers bought Northland Aluminum Products, a small firm with a line of “Nordic Ware” products including griddles and steak platters. The same year, Dave Dalquist created a cast aluminum, fluted cake pan and trademarked it as the “Bundt” pan. The company continued to grow its product line to include specialty baking and cookware items, including the microwave turntable. Nordic Ware is notable due to its history of product innovation through engineering, and its continued production of cookware in the United States.

Nordic Ware manufactured this aluminum tray in 1976 to commemorate the Bicentennial of the United States. The tray bears an image of two men reaping grain, with their crossed rifles propping up an American flag that reads “76.” Nordic Ware sold a variety of Bicentennial cookware in its “In ‘76” catalog to commemorate and capitalize on the occasion.

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