Vintage 1988 Vermont Castings Owners Outing Cast Iron Plaque / Badge. “The Country Settee” – 4th Annual Owners Outing. A fantastic and genuinely uncommon piece of. History – this original cast iron commemorative plaque/trivet was produced for the company’s 4th Annual Owners Outing, held August 13-14, 1988. The raised relief design features “The Country Settee, ” a classic early American bench rendered in Vermont Castings’ signature textured cast iron style. 5″ W x 4 1/8″ T. Heavy, solid cast iron construction with a beautiful dark graphite-black finish and crisp lettering throughout. Reverse retains the original casting mark. Condition is excellent vintage condition with no cracks, chips, or repairs. What Was the Vermont Castings Owners Outing? During the late 1970s and 1980s, Vermont Castings became one of the most beloved names in American wood stoves and cast iron craftsmanship. Founded in Vermont during the energy-conscious back-to-the-land era, the company built beautifully engineered wood stoves, hearth accessories, cookware, trivets, fireplace equipment, and traditional colonial-inspired home furnishings. Their products blended practical heating technology with early American styling and helped define the cozy “New England hearth” aesthetic of the era. The annual “Owners Outing” events were part company gathering, part customer appreciation festival, and part Vermont lifestyle celebration. Enthusiasts and loyal stove owners traveled to Vermont for demonstrations, factory culture, food, community events, and product showcases. Items like this were specially made souvenirs for attendees and were never mass-produced retail catalog pieces. That is what makes these plaques desirable today – they are not just decorative trivets, but ephemeral company-event memorabilia tied to the golden age of American cast iron stove manufacturing. Why This Piece Stands Out. Commemorates the 4th Annual Owners Outing. Features the charming “Country Settee” design. Heavy American cast iron construction. Smaller production commemorative item, not standard retail stock. Hearth & stove memorabilia collectors. Primitive / colonial décor fans. New England Americana collectors. 1988 was peak cozy-Americana Vermont. While Wall Street was booming and CDs were replacing records, thousands of homes across New England still revolved around a wood stove glowing in the living room. Vermont Castings became synonymous with that lifestyle: practical self-reliance mixed with handcrafted traditional design. This plaque feels like it came directly from that world – cider donuts, flannel shirts, catalytic combustors, and debates over the best hardwood for overnight burns.