Griswold repro.

[Justice70]

Boy, I thought I had finally found me a Griswold!

I'll admit I had no idea there were repro's out there. Live and learn.

If there are any others out there who don't know what to look for, let me enlighten you.

I learned that if it does not say "Erie" on it, beware. Also, bright orange rust is another giveaway. They had it marked 10 bucks and I asked if they could come down some and she said 7 bucks. I waited a few and asked if she would take 5 and she said sure. So it was only a 5 dollar learning experience. Some of the other recent buys include a San Francisco Music Box Co. Wizard of Oz for 2 bucks. Lennox glass for a buck, Pampered Chef large bar pan 2 bucks, Capt. Jack Sparrow figure-4 bucks, box of singer sewing machine parts I got for 5 bucks, Fort Benning plate that says US Army on the back. Got a few other things also but the Griswold was for a brief time, my best find..

 

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[2Minnesota]

Thanks for sharing the info. I had no idea there were repos.

 

[diggummup]

I understand what you are saying and that pan doesn't look right but I believe there is a slanted Griswold mark from the early 1900's that has "no Erie" marks.

 

[gunsil]

I don't believe it is a repro. It is a common piece, who would got to all the trouble of faking a frying pan that's worth 20 bucks tops?? The orange rust is no give away, I have cleaned old cast iron, and if you let it sit around in a not-so-dry garage the orange rust will appear. Most old iron that's dug has orange rust. Just because a cast iron utensil is Griswold doesn't make it valuable, it has to be a desirable style, age, and size.

 

[Beachkid23]

Not trying to hijack the thread but how do you clean them because I have one hanging on my wall I think it could be a little nicer.

 

[diggummup]

I don't believe it is a repro.

Probably not but it just doesn't look old to me. Personally I think it is a Wagner made piece, despite the Griswold stamp. If Justice70 does a little research he will see why I'm saying this.

There are repro Griswolds though. Some of the rare ones can fetch large money. Any time there is a market for a collectible, it will be reproduced, guaranteed. Those little Chinese bastages will fake anything if they can make a buck off of it. Here is a list of known reproductions- Reproductions & Counterfeits - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

 

[diggummup]

Not trying to hijack the thread but how do you clean them because I have one hanging on my wall I think it could be a little nicer.

View attachment 1013467

There is a thread here somewhere for that but I am running out the door, maybe some will chime in before I get back.

 

[inspectorgadget]

Not trying to hijack the thread but how do you clean them because I have one hanging on my wall I think it could be a little nicer.

View attachment 1013467

A lye bath is the trick!

 

[inspectorgadget]

I think this is a pan that falls into one of these categories... "While most of the GMC cookware is a desired collectible, almost all collectors avoid the small Griswold logo era. The former quality and casting isn't there, for the most part. The small emblem items are good for users of cast iron because they don't have the price tag of the collectibles and are great for function. Eventually, Griswold's strongest competitor, The Wagner Manufacturing Company of Sydney, Ohio, ended up with ownership of their molds. The "double stamped" Wagner/Griswold emblems are not considered important collector's items, nor are the items that say Griswold but were really manufactured in Sydney, Ohio by Wagner."

IMHO It's either from the 40's-50's & made by Griswold but after their quality fell off or else it was soon after Wagner took over the Griswold molds in the late 50's. It's a great pan to actually use but not so much a big money maker! I would clean that sucker up with a lye bath & use it! It's still way better than a modern Lodge iron skillet!

1865-1883 Selden & Griswold
1865-1909 ERIE or "ERIE"
1874-1905 Spider and Web
1884-1912 GRISWOLD'S ERIE
1884-1909 Diamond (with ERIE inside the diamond)
1897-1920 Griswold Manufacturing Company (italic lettering, large cross logo)
1919-1940 Griswold Manufacturing Company (block lettering, large cross logo)
1937-1957 Griswold (block lettering, small cross logo)

http://www.griswoldcookware.com/history.htm

 

[mugsisme]

Not trying to hijack the thread but how do you clean them because I have one hanging on my wall I think it could be a little nicer.

View attachment 1013467

It's a pain to strip the seasoning and start again. The best way is to either run it through the dishwasher with detergent, or put it in your self clean oven. (I use that method.) There is a way to season it. I think I have it bookmarked.

Here. I try to avoid seasoning at any cost. It's such a pain!
Chemistry of Cast Iron Seasoning: A Science-Based How-To

 

[Beachkid23]

It's a pain to strip the seasoning and start again. The best way is to either run it through the dishwasher with detergent, or put it in your self clean oven. (I use that method.) There is a way to season it. I think I have it bookmarked. Here. I try to avoid seasoning at any cost. It's such a pain! Chemistry of Cast Iron Seasoning: A Science-Based How-To

Thanks! I was born and raised in Erie Pennsylvania and I found this in Fort Myers Florida along with a Griswold crockpot lid or something. I sold the lid for $250 and this one is staying on my wall.

 

[inspectorgadget]

Thanks! I was born and raised in Erie Pennsylvania and I found this in Fort Myers Florida along with a Griswold crockpot lid or something. I sold the lid for $250 and this one is staying on my wall.

Dutch oven lid? Or skillet lid? How did you get $250 out of it if you didn't know what it was for? Did ya sell it on eBay and just call it a Griswold lid? Are we talking a cast iron lid or something else? $250 sounds like a good price to get but some are worth even more than that cause they can be real hard to find!

 

[Beachkid23]

It was awhile back. Super clean. Dutch oven I believe.... Not sure. It was over $200. The base was a Wagner, too bad they didn't match! I like the one I kept though!

 

[Justice70]

How to avoid fake Griswold and Wagner cast iron antiques

The link above is where I read about the bright orange rust on Griswold fakes. The picture they use to represent the "obvious" fake, just looks like an old pan to me.

I don't believe this skillet was made by Griswold. I can't find evidence of another Griswold from that era without the Erie stamp somewhere on it. Diggumup may be right and it may be a Wagner made pc. but there is still that very bright orange rust that makes me wonder. Unless, they are saying that only the Griswold's should not get the bright orange rust. Hmmm.....

I agree with gunsil in that it is a crazy idea to repro. a cheaper pan but then again we have had counterfeiters produce 5 dollar bills when they could have done 100's.

Thanx everyone for all the input.

 

[diggummup]

Red rust just means that it probably dates from after WW2. Older cast iron had a higher carbon content.

 

[Justice70]

Thanx diggummup, very good info to have.