How can you tell a fake Griswold?

Fakes have rough casting, uneven margin below Griswold lettering. Original has finer detail, especially below the eye, and smoother casting. Lettering font on fake handle is sans-serif. The numeral 3 on original has a flat top.

How can I tell if my cast iron is real?

If you can comfortably lift the pan in one hand it is not cast iron. An authentic piece of cast iron will have a thick bottom and sides, hence the weight. Next check for markings on the pan manufacturers display with pride their brand, size, or range name on their pieces.

Are all Griswold skillets marked?

Griswold pieces like skillets and dutch ovens are inscribed with their size number and a pattern number. Other Griswold pieces like gem and muffin pans have both an item number and a pattern number inscribed in them. The Griswold pattern number is then appended with a letter unique to each working pattern.

What is a gate mark on cast iron?

Cast iron is made with a sand mold in which liquid iron needs to be poured into it (or injected into the mold.) The liquid iron then hardens and the mold is removed from around it. In the 1800s the iron was poured in via a line on the bottom of the mold which left the line, or gate mark, on the iron once it hardened.

What is the rarest Griswold?

One of the rarest of all Griswold skillets the Block EPU (BEPU) is the hardest among the 13s to find as so few were made (people tended to buy them less for the fear of unlucky 13). This one is a beauty with a heat ring, glassy cooking surface and nice mill marks. Super collectable.

REAL OR FAKE??? Learning to Spot Fake Vintage Cast Iron!

What are Griswold skillets worth?

Griswold Cast Iron Price Guide

An antique skillet from the early days of the Griswold iron works can be marketed for more than $3,000, depending on the condition and traceability.

When did Griswold stop making skillets?

Griswold Manufacturing (/ˈɡrɪzwɔːld, -wəld/) was an American manufacturer of cast iron kitchen products founded in Erie, Pennsylvania, in business from 1865 through 1957.

What is the rarest cast-iron skillet?

If you are want to add a rare piece of cast iron to your collection, look no further than the Griswold Loaf pan. These pans rarely come on to the market.

What does the number 8 mean on cast iron?

Ever wonder what that number on the handle of your cast-iron skillet means? It's not, as you might think, the size of the pan. The number actually refers to the diameter of the pan in inches across the bottom of the pan, not across its flared top, which is the industry standard way to measure skillet size.

When did Wagner buy out Griswold?

After that, companies changed hands quite a few times like a decades-long game of hot potato. Under the new management of the Randall Company, Wagner purchased Griswold Manufacturing Company in 1957. In 1959, Textron, Inc.

Is cast iron magnetic?

Most metals with magnetic properties are ferrous: metals and alloys that contain iron. These ferrous metals include mild steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, and wrought iron.

Why are Griswold cast iron pans so expensive?

Griswold cast iron is highly collectible

And this makes the ironware fun to collect for collectors and enthusiasts. So when a rare piece or size comes up for sale, it will attract the attention of many buyers and ultimately drive up the price.

Are Griswold skillets good?

Griswold is one of the best vintage brands if you want to start collecting vintage cast iron. Griswold is a reputation for being some of the finest quality cast iron cookware on the market. And is popular with both enthusiasts and home cooks. Some collectors like to find rare and collectible Griswold pieces.

How big is a Griswold #10 skillet?

The base measures approximately 10 1/2" (26.7 cm) wide & the top is 11 11/16" (29.7cm) wide. It is 16 1/2" (41.9 cm) long with the handle. It weighs 5lbs 10oz (2.55 kg).

What is the most sought after cast iron?

Are cast iron pans worth money?

One of the most surprising valuables around your home may be cast-iron cookware. Worth from $15 to $1,500, this is stuff you rarely want to sell at a yard sale. Fortunately, cookware is usually marked on the bottom with the name of the maker and the catalog or size number.

How do I know if my cast iron is BSR?

Birmingham Stove & Range never put an identifying logo or manufacturer mark on their cast iron pans. However, there are several unique traits to these pans that allow them to be easily identified. BS&R cast iron pans are very heavy, and they have a weight and a heft similar to modern-day cast iron pans from Lodge.

What is a spider skillet?

A spider (also called a spider skillet, spider pan, or iron spider) was an iron vessel with three splayed legs and a long handle used for hearth cooking. The footed skillet or frying pan would be set over a small pile of coals pulled out onto the hearth from the fire.

What cast iron is collectible?

Any pan made before 1957 is considered vintage. There were several major manufactures of cast iron cookware from the 1800s to the early 1900s. These include Wagner, Griswald, Birmingham Stove & Range, and Lodge.