Saw this the other day and I'm thinking about ordering one... I have tons of Griswold and Erie cast iron, but for some reason I really think I want to try one out... there's not much selection but they look very nice... anyone tried these out?

http://smitheyironware.com

Looks awesome. I'd be interested in your feedback. I have one of these and like it, but this link of yours looks better.

http://blanccreatives.com

Wow those look nice as well...might have to try one of them out too!

no thank you. way too expensive for
me. i can cook just as good in what
i have now. i've yet to see a piece
of cookware i'd spend $200.00 plus
shipping to purchase.

for $200 bucks you could buy a good Griswald.

For $200, I could find at least three.

A Griswold #12 for under $200 is unheard of...

Be sure to report when you get it.

the pan mentioned is actually more of a #11 in size, not a #12. You might well have to hunt and peck for a decent Griswald at $200, yes, but that's part of the fun.

this might prove helpful for us

http://www.panman.com/sizecharts.html

I've got a Griswold #14 I paid $175 for from a private owner that was winning pizza contests with it.

Had to drive 120 miles round trip to get it, but I was extremely happy.

That dude was one of the most eccentric collectors I ever met but boy, did he have some cool stuff.

I just bought a Griswold #12 in excellent condition for $120 the other week. Though I agree they usually sell for a lot more. Nice skillet , I like my old cast iron.

many on dallas craigslist for $80.00
or less. many more to be had in the
second hand stores and flea markets
for $20.00 and less.
my last wagner was free in a stack of
a half a dozen cast iron skillets a
friend and his wife bought at an auction.
they wanted the antique wooden crate they
were in and gave me the cookware. i know they
didn't give over $20.00-$30.00 for the whole
box of junk. all the cookware was u.s.a. and
all were slightly rusty with no pitting.
they can be found at reasonable prices.

That's a score! If it's in good condition that's a $500 skillet...

I'm not asking you guys what you think about the price... I'm asking if anyone has used these skillets and if they were any good...

and I, at least, are saying that no matter how good it is, I'd prefer an old Griswald or Wagner.

Seriously, I would not mind handling one of these, and working with it. Seems well made, looks polished, at least a lot more so than a new Lodge or Chinese pan.

Lol I do as well... I collect vintage Griswold and Erie cast iron... I just stumbled across these and thought they looked very well made for modern cast iron...

Looks like nobody here has used one.

Have you posed this question on any CI forums?

No sir I have not... I think I'll just give one a try and see for myself...

we will need an after action report, and pictures.

Cinch, It was in excellent condition. I've used it mostly for sauteeing vegetables, cornbread, and large batches of bacon or sausage when I'm making potato salad, stuffing, or a big breakfast. Really comes in handy around the holidays. Should use it more often than I do. I mostly use my #9, when it comes to day to day.

Wow that's a beauty! I have one that's almost like new but I paid $400 for it and that was a bargain... they are definitely the best for pizza...

For sure... I should have bought the bigger Griswold's years ago when they were cheaper... a person could make some serious money off some of it now

It looks like a nice skillet but I don't think anything can compare to the old Griswold and Wagner stuff. My .02

I can't imagine... but it has to be 100x better then the modern Lodge...

So tell me you guys who know your CI

What is it that is keeping an American company (Lodge?) from putting out a reasonably priced as in #12 for less than $100? Something polished smoother than the Lodge stuff of today?

Labor?: Seems to me that could be solved with mechanization/robotics?

Cost of material?: Mmm, methinks iron is not that expensive, the proper alloy might take some chemical engineer a few days to work up? After that, not much except tweaking for differences in what's coming from the supplier.

Overhead? Seems to me foundries are still operating and if they are on natural gas the price of that seems to be staying low for now. Environmental regs no doubt enter into the equation, but if the company is already casting other items, amortization brings the costs down for adding another product?

Marketing?: is the market too small? Seems to me the market is growing if I can't find a good skillet in the thrift stores anymore.

Collecting aside, can anyone really justify $200 for a piece of iron?

Anyone have any thoughts about the feasibility of having a foundry cast some "blanks" and starting a small shop to polish/finish/season them and could a guy get them done at a cost that would allow a decent markup and still have it "affordable" as I described above?

I like my cast iron, Lodge for now as I turned the 100 year old family skillet over to lil' sis, but I'm not interested in spending $200 for a new one or an old Griswold.

Do any of you know anyone in the foundry business?

Thanks for all your posts folks, I do enjoy looking at the old stuff.

Geno

I really have no answer for you there Geno... it's all about profit anymore so I'm sure the less they handle it the more profit they make...

I have absolutely no problem spending $200 on a quality skillet... whether it's new or 100+ years old... look at some of the higher end cookware and you can easily spend more then that...

I would suggest watching garage sales, second hand stores, flea markets etc... there are some bargains to be found... just make sure it sits flat and is not cracked... eBay of course has a ton but you have to know what you're buying and what it's worth...

Naw, I don't believe in $200 for any one piece of cookware, I'm not using it commercially. I love to cook too, but I have enough stuff other than some CI I'd like to have.

$200 works out to about a 1300 mile (one way) trip in my truck for a hunt, or a bunch of hunting/shooting/archery/fishing supplies.

I'll keep my eyes open I guess, maybe I'll get lucky at an estate sale or something.

Geno

I don't have a single piece of cast iron I couldn't get 2 or 3 times more for it right now than what I paid.

Yes, I buy the stuff to cook in, but that's not the only reason.

Everybody spends their own money the way they want. I know I do. And I don't have any problem with anybody else doing the same.

If you've only got $200 to spend and the choices are a nice hunting trip or a cast iron skillet, I'd more than likely pick the hunting trip, too.

Now, if I've got $400, or say even $600, well then it becomes a completely different equation.

local dirt,

are you telling us you're a candidate for the CIA?

Cast
Iron
Anonymous




Geno

THAT is awesome!

ironbender, that was a Craigslist'er. Buried in a list of probably a hundred items.

As I mentioned, the guy I bought it from was a collector, and a very eccentric one at that. He had all kinds of stuff in a "garage" behind his house that was at least 3-5 times bigger than his house. ex: A Chevy step van with a hydraulic lift out the side door for loading a wheelchair or cargo that looked like it'd never hit the street, new tires and all, several vintage Cadillacs that needed repair but not bad, a pristine antique roll top desk, and a pristine 60-70's era Limey motorcycle. Can't remember if it was a Triumph or BSA.

There was literally tons of other neat stuff you could probably spend 1/2 a day looking through. Fun guy to talk to, also. He could tell you the story behind all of it.

Never know what kind of deal may come along...
My late MIL(rip), bought the #14 Griswold I now have for $3 dollars at a church bazar sale. It's a large block logo with a heat ring. immaculate condition it is.
My brother just recently gave me a #20 large logo with heat ring and double D handles that he picked up for $50 at another church sale. While pretty grungy to begin with, it looks brand new after I gave it a lye bath and re-seasoned.

The most I can recall paying for a Griswold skillet was $175. for a #11 with large block logo and heat ring. It's my go to skillet.

If you want a sticker shock, check on the prices of a #2 Griswold with a large block and heat ring.
I have seen them list for almost $2000. crazy... and No, I don't have one in any of my sets!

#4's from certain years bring a premium price too.

tndrbstr, those are some nice pieces you have there! Never seen a #20 in the flesh. Congratulations on that #14, too.

Yeah, I've seen those #2's and #4's going for some crazy prices. I don't think they made any less of them. I think it's mostly a cool and cute factor on the #2's and the fact that almost nobody parts with them much.

Wouldn't mind picking up a #12 if I could find one.

My appetite doesn't call for a #2 much.

local_dirt, I have a #12 with a cast raised letter lid that goes with it.
The thing I've noticed towards the collectable cast iron skillet pricing seems to do with production and demand. The earlier skillets with the smoke ring were made before gas and electric dominated the scene. Families were more extended and larger in general so the market didn't call for the smaller pieces as much so less were made. Hence today, the smaller skillets with the smoke ring bring a premium price.

As time went on, gas and electric became more readily available and families dispersed more and got smaller in general. This is when the smoke ring went to the wayside and the need for the larger pieces was also in less demand so less were made. As a result, in general, the smooth bottom larger pieces tend to bring a higher price than the smooth bottom smaller ones.

I really like the Griswold oval roasters too, but man, folks are proud of them! especially the #3 and #5.
I picked up a #9 oval roaster and lid one time for $60. It didn't have the trivet with it tho. It will hold two turkeys! but it almost takes two people to handle it!

tndrbstr, I like those oval roasters, too. But, really would have more use for a dutch oven or chicken fryer. Finding them with matching lids in great shape is a challenge. I quit looking for a while. Probably start back up again after this thread has got the blood running again.

Hear ya on the trivets. Heck, I think they've turned into their own collector and reseller cottage industry themselves!

It's funny how different pieces come in and out of demand... #8 and #9 skillet griddles are always in demand... as well as #10, 11, and 12 skillets

If you want to see sticker shock price a #13 Griswold with lid.. ..if you can find one.

Makes sense. I've never come across one.

Guy I know collects old CI paid $2800 for one. He thought he got a good deal.

I've seen some super rare Griswold pieces go for $12,000...crazy

Cinch, did you order one?

I was wondering the same thing.

What can anyone tell me about a CI skillet, a small "z" (or maybe an "N'?) on the bottom, with a rather large 7 at the base of the handle where it joins the pan. No other markings that my sister can find, but the bottom and sides are pretty crusty with burned on stuff built up over nearly 100 (or more) years of use.

Sister measured it at about 9 1/2" top of pan, 8 1/2' bottom. I might be able to post pics when I download them to my computer from the phone.

We have no idea where it came from, could even be foreign, about all we know it was my grandmother's or maybe even my great grandma's according to our mom (who would be 87 this year if still alive). She remembered it always being in use.

Thanks for any help,

Geno

Not yet... I got busy with some other things but I will order one soon

I'm selling a wagner ware fat free fryer for $45 plus actual shipping if any one is interested.

Pictures of one I asked about:

Shows "7" on handle

[img:center][/img]

"z" on bottom:

[img:center][/img]

That's about the best I can do, I notice it has the ring on the bottom, never paid attention to it before.

Any help is appreciated, just for general knowledge. It'll never be sold, at least by our generation of siblings.

Geno

Geno that might be an unmarked Lodge Blacklock...very early Lodge 1900-1910...

Thanks, that would fit time frame if it were my mother's mother (my grandma).

Were those sold across the USA back then, or just regionally. Mom hailed from NYC, born 1930 there.

Geno

Near as I can tell they were made in Tennessee...

Thanks again Cinch (and others)

I did a bit more investigating and looked at some other pics my sister sent. In those, it's easy to see the little initial on the bottom is in the right position, the heat ring is unbroken, the "7" is the right size and the handle shape is correct to the period.

It's a Blacklock/Lodge from early 20th century. Perfect fit for my Grandma to have purchased it before Mom was born.

Geno

PS, I've got to stop looking at those websites or I'll have another money sucking hobby going.

PPS when I get back to my trailer I've got to look into identifying an unmarked lid that fits my newer Lodge pan. That should be fun, there's plenty of info on the net for that even.

It's definitely an addicting hobby... I don't find much local, I live in a fairly small town. Every now and then I'll stumble across something though. I hate to think about all the iron that ends up in the dump from people that inherited it and doesn't know how to use it...

Have a cast iron wok, but a lightweight 14" wok Excellent to sauté vegetables, cook fast and keep the flavors, and so easy to clean