Robster thats a good looking selection of ovens
...that is good advice on the way to treat a and keep a good skillet.
The round flat skillet you are talking about in the pic does it any numbers on the bottom of it. The hammered one I have like that has 3 numbers, 999 cast into the bottom of it. It looks to be the same mnfgr(identical handles)...The surface is in fact either machined or a ground finished in some fashion.
sse, The surfaces vary greatly on cast iron cooking surfaces, they should have a very smooth look and feel. If they look porous and rough don't waste your time with it. Cooking corn bread in a skillet is one of the best ways to season one that I have found. As robster said care must be taken to keep the seasoning in the iron once its right. Never use soap on them. When I do get something that sticks in my cooker I just let water set in over night and heat it up to near boil the next day and it wipes right out.
