Vintage MCM Knobler British Hong Kong Aluminum Kettle with black handle

Description

Listing is for one Knobler British Hong Kong aluminum kettle with lid.
Condition is fair to good--a couple of dents (see photos) and some surface wear and staining--but the kettle remains functional and very stylish with its mid-century shape and lines. The black handle curves elegantly and can rest on either side of the kettle. Overall, the kettle is approximately 10 1/2" in diameter (excluding spout) and 6" tall (excluding handle).
My research into the Knobler Company is incomplete but it appears the company was started by Alfred E. Knobler as "Knobler International" as well as "The Pilgrim Glass Company." Mr. Knobler (1915-2007) was born and raised in New York City and graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1938 with a degree in ceramic engineering. During WWII he served as a factory inspector for the War Department and after the war opened his own sales and import company in the gift and housewares industry. Products included mostly glass items, but also various items such as tea infusers, tinware trays and coasters, pie birds, kettles, butter warmers, and more. The connection with British Hong Kong, as noted on the kettle, remains a mystery, as well as who the designer was for this gorgeous kettle.
Despite being the owner of his own company, Mr. Knobler supported labor unions and voluntarily instituted medical and other benefits for his employees. He was an early and outspoken supporter of equal rights and gave generously to causes and entities that mattered to him such as P.S. #42, his old Bronx elementary school, and scholarships for minority students at Virginia Tech. He also established the Alfred Knobler Journalism Fellowship at The Nation magazine.