Pit-bottom teakettle with bellied gooseneck spout and cast-in arched ears above its high, rounded shoulder for the mushroom-shaped strap bail handle, concave in section; no feet. Removable, pivoting, double-stepped lid swings on bearing next to back ear. Both pieces are hollow cast: body has a pronounced horizontal seam that extends to top of spout and a single gate mark and raised "8" on bottom exterior; cover bordered by "B & S. 272 PEARL ST.N.Y." and "PATENTED DEC.18.1866", both cast in raised serif letters.
"B & S." appears to stand for Benham & Stoutenborough, a housewares merchant and manufacturer at 272 Pearl Street, run by Darius Benham and Xenophon Stoutenborough. William Hailes of Albany, NY, received U.S. Patent No. 60,508 for his "mode of attaching covers to kettles, boilers, stoves, etc." on December 18, 1866.