On 1/9/14, 10:19 PM, Steve Freides wrote:

> Just did a quick Google - looks to be vintage cast iron, but also looks
> a lot like any other cast iron skillet. We have exactly one of those,
> 12", I think - I don't know the brand but I'm sure it will outlast us.
>....
> Does it cook better, or is it a vintage kind of thing, or some of both?

As the OP said, it's a Griswold, and Griswold went out of business in
1957. Griswold is pretty universally acknowledged to have produced the
finest cast iron pans ever made.

-- Larry

On Fri, 10 Jan 2014 11:38:05 -0500, pltrgyst > wrote:

> On 1/9/14, 10:19 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>
> > Just did a quick Google - looks to be vintage cast iron, but also looks
> > a lot like any other cast iron skillet. We have exactly one of those,
> > 12", I think - I don't know the brand but I'm sure it will outlast us.
> >....
> > Does it cook better, or is it a vintage kind of thing, or some of both?
>
> As the OP said, it's a Griswold, and Griswold went out of business in
> 1957. Griswold is pretty universally acknowledged to have produced the
> finest cast iron pans ever made.
>
I'm with Steve. I have cast iron that came to me via my mother who
got it from my grandmother and I wouldn't be surprised if it came from
great-grandma. There's no name on it, but it's easily 75-100 years
old. Cast iron pans don't need to have a brand name stamped on them
to cook well and to last.

--
"Corporations aren't people, they're Republicans"
(Rev Al Sharpton 10/7/2011)

On 1/10/2014 12:47 PM, sf wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Jan 2014 11:38:05 -0500, pltrgyst > wrote:
>
>> On 1/9/14, 10:19 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>>
>>> Just did a quick Google - looks to be vintage cast iron, but also looks
>>> a lot like any other cast iron skillet. We have exactly one of those,
>>> 12", I think - I don't know the brand but I'm sure it will outlast us.
>>> ....
>>> Does it cook better, or is it a vintage kind of thing, or some of both?
>>
>> As the OP said, it's a Griswold, and Griswold went out of business in
>> 1957. Griswold is pretty universally acknowledged to have produced the
>> finest cast iron pans ever made.
>>
> I'm with Steve. I have cast iron that came to me via my mother who
> got it from my grandmother and I wouldn't be surprised if it came from
> great-grandma. There's no name on it, but it's easily 75-100 years
> old. Cast iron pans don't need to have a brand name stamped on them
> to cook well and to last.
>
That's true, they don't have to have a name attached to be old and still
perfectly usable.

IMHO, for the same reason collectors of pottery and porcelain look for
stamps and markings on a piece, collectors of Griswold want to see that
mark. They want to be able to date it. Figure out if it was an early
cast (more valuable at auction?) or a later cast. Collectors; go figure.

The cast iron griddle that belonged to my grandmother is very old and
still very functional. She used to bake scones on it. I even got to
see her do that. I haven't examined it for markings. The markings (or
lack thereof) don't matter to me. I still use it, two generations later.

Jill

sf wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Jan 2014 11:38:05 -0500, pltrgyst > wrote:
>
>> On 1/9/14, 10:19 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>>
>>> Just did a quick Google - looks to be vintage cast iron, but also
>>> looks a lot like any other cast iron skillet. We have exactly one
>>> of those, 12", I think - I don't know the brand but I'm sure it
>>> will outlast us. ....
>>> Does it cook better, or is it a vintage kind of thing, or some of
>>> both?
>>
>> As the OP said, it's a Griswold, and Griswold went out of business in
>> 1957. Griswold is pretty universally acknowledged to have produced
>> the finest cast iron pans ever made.
>>
> I'm with Steve. I have cast iron that came to me via my mother who
> got it from my grandmother and I wouldn't be surprised if it came from
> great-grandma. There's no name on it, but it's easily 75-100 years
> old. Cast iron pans don't need to have a brand name stamped on them
> to cook well and to last.

We have one 12" cast iron skillet, have had it forever, take lousy care
of it - wash it w/ soap and wash, almost never re-reason/oil it, and
it's still fantastic. I'll have to go look and see what brand it is.

The Griswold thing is cool to know about though - I didn't know there
was such a thing as a collectible cast iron skillet, but I'm fine w/ the
idea.

-S-

On 1/11/2014 4:51 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
> sf wrote:
>> On Fri, 10 Jan 2014 11:38:05 -0500, pltrgyst > wrote:
>>
>>> On 1/9/14, 10:19 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>>>
>>>> Just did a quick Google - looks to be vintage cast iron, but also
>>>> looks a lot like any other cast iron skillet. We have exactly one
>>>> of those, 12", I think - I don't know the brand but I'm sure it
>>>> will outlast us. ....
>>>> Does it cook better, or is it a vintage kind of thing, or some of
>>>> both?
>>>
>>> As the OP said, it's a Griswold, and Griswold went out of business in
>>> 1957. Griswold is pretty universally acknowledged to have produced
>>> the finest cast iron pans ever made.
>>>
>> I'm with Steve. I have cast iron that came to me via my mother who
>> got it from my grandmother and I wouldn't be surprised if it came from
>> great-grandma. There's no name on it, but it's easily 75-100 years
>> old. Cast iron pans don't need to have a brand name stamped on them
>> to cook well and to last.
>
> We have one 12" cast iron skillet, have had it forever, take lousy care
> of it - wash it w/ soap and wash, almost never re-reason/oil it, and
> it's still fantastic. I'll have to go look and see what brand it is.
>
> The Griswold thing is cool to know about though - I didn't know there
> was such a thing as a collectible cast iron skillet, but I'm fine w/ the
> idea.
>
> -S-
>
>
Anything can become collectible if they stop making it and there's a
market for it. Griswold is just one example of things that you can't
find anymore unless you happen upon a piece or two at a yard sale,
thrift shop or auction.

My mother's "every day dishes" were Franciscan Ware, Desert Rose
pattern. I don't know when they stopped making it (sometime in the
1960's, I'd guess). Every once in a while I'll see a Franciscan cup and
saucer in an antique shop and they're asking upwards of $20. Heck, I've
got 12 of them.

Jill