Corning Ware Profile: P-4 Covered Baking Dish (1963)

The shape of the 1½ quart P-4 casserole is quite different from regular square Corning Ware.  It is rectangular with flared sides, and quite deep for its size.  The origins of this unusual piece can be traced to 1963, when it was sold with a specially designed hot-plate in the Corning Ware Electromatics line. 

There are other Electromatic bases for square Corning Ware skillets, but the one made for the P-4 was more sophisticated than the rest.  Together, the set was called the Self-Timing Saucepan, and advertisements carried the tag line: "set it and forget it!"  The unit was capable of sensing when the correct temperature was attained, then would turn off automatically after a specified cooking time.

Floral Bouquet, Corning Ware P-4, 1½ quart casserole.

The Self-Timing Saucepan concept might have been short-lived, but production of the P-4 casserole continued and it would be sold singly and in bakeware sets with a new name: Covered Baking Dish.  With a narrow rectangular footprint, it isn't the most optimal design for stovetop cooking.  More conventional Corning Ware shapes are named "skillet", "saucepan" or "saucepot".

The design improvements made to square Corning Ware cookware in the early 1970s were not applied to the P-4.  It has small tab handles, as found on all casseroles manufactured pre-1972, but this is true of every P-4 even though they were made before and after that date.  This shape was manufactured into the early 1980s, disappearing sometime before 1985.

(Photo: Country Festival P-4)
            
Patterns available:  

Blue Cornflower
Wheat*
stars design (blue)**
White
Floral Bouquet
Blue Medallion
Green Medallion
Spice O' Life (L'Echalote)
Spice O' Life (Le Persil La Sauge)
Country Festival
Wildflower

* - items with a gold-coloured Wheat pattern typically are prefixed with 'W', so this piece will be marked W-4, not P-4.  This pattern was available at Bon Marche.  It is not clear whether Wheat was exclusive to that retailer, but it is possible, as it seems that other stores did not advertise it.  Wheat was available in 1969 & 1970, but exact starting and ending dates are not known.

** - official pattern name unknown, the design consists of eight five-pointed stars of different sizes, the three largest stars are within solid blue circles.

There are two versions for Spice O' Life, and the distinguishing feature between them is the choice of French phrase.  There are differences in the arrangement of the vegetables as well.

Overhead view, P-4 casserole.

Blue Cornflower P-4 casserole.
              
(Photo: Backstamp of P-4 casserole, marked P-4-B, its lid is marked P-4-C.  Corning's naming convention consistently uses "B" for bowl and "C" for cover.  The stamp also states the dimensions in inches.)


Related Articles:

What about the French phrases on Spice O' Life?
Corelle Profile: Wildflower
Corelle Profile: Spice O' Life
Corelle Profile: Blue Cornflower
Country Festival Brochure 
Compare Floral Bouquet Variations
1968 Corning Ware Advertisement