L.Hitchcock painted metal bowl

Sorry it's a reproduction, the original Hitchcock company closed in 1852, never made bowls. The company was revived after World War Two and produced a great number of things the original company did not until they went bankrupt in 2006.

The Hitchcock Company did close for a period but was reopened in the same factory and produced the same furniture. It recently changed owners and is now at a smaller scale, but still located in Riverton, CT.   My grandmother worked there rushing chair seats in the 1970s.  

I have a metal bowl very similar to your bowl, although not identical stencilling.  I found your photos when I was looking for more information on mine.  I can at least say that mine is absolutely authentic and made by the Hitchcock company.  When my grandmother worked there, the owner wanted to show some friends around the town of Riverton and he knew that my grandfather had a sleigh and horses.  He asked my grandpa to take them on a sleigh ride and he did... and this bowl was a thank-you gift directly from the owner.  The bowl has been a treasured heirloom since.  I know that very few bowls in this style were made.

My bowl has the same 5 panels of sheet metal with painted, stencilled designs.  Mine has a black background with peach stencils.  The signature on the back of mine is the same, with backwards "N"s in Conn.  The town name of Hitchcocksville, by the way, was changed to Riverton because it was being confused in the post office with another town.

Your bowl looks authentic to me.  It's rare and special indeed!  I'm guessing they were made between the 1960s-1970s since that was when my grandpa was given it as a gift, but I don't know if earlier ones were made.  Hitchcock is very valuable, even pieces made in recent decades.

I've included the website of the company below.  They restore and sell antique Hitchcock.  They may be able to tell you more.  

http://hitchcockchair.com/