Cast iron cookware can be some of the most inexpensive tools you can buy for your kitchen, especially when you consider their long lifetime of 150 years and beyond. You can find new cast iron skillets for as little as $40 per piece which makes them an excellent investment for the future.
Before we go into details, we have to warn you that vintage cast iron is so valuable that there are a lot of fake ones in the market. Take this quiz to find out if your cast iron pan is real or not:
Oftentimes, the letters and numbers you’ll find on the bottom of a vintage pan denote a pattern number or correspond to a particular cooking surface on a stove the pan might’ve been sold with, and unusual notches could be a maker’s mark incorporated into the piece to identify the actual person who crafted it.
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Cast iron cookware can be some of the most inexpensive tools you can buy for your kitchen, especially when you consider their long lifetime of 150 years and beyond. You can find new cast iron skillets for as little as $40 per piece which makes them an excellent investment for the future.
Before we go into details, we have to warn you that vintage cast iron is so valuable that there are a lot of fake ones in the market. Take this quiz to find out if your cast iron pan is real or not:
How can you identify your cast iron?
The best way to quickly narrow down your cast iron cookwares origins is by checking the bottom for the insignia from a manufacturer. Some of the most popular and quality vintage cast iron makers of the last two centuries were as follows:
- Griswold Manufacturing
- The Vollrath Company
- Wagner Ware
- Favourite
- Atlanta Stove Works
- Wapak
These companies were founded in the late 1800s and early 1900s by blue-collar Americans throughout middle America (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin), providing families with high quality cast iron cookware that lasts.
The Griswold name is well-renowned as the cream of the crop when it comes to vintage cast iron. They were especially well-crafted and the manufacturer paid extra attention to detail.
You must pay attention to the sizes and shapes of logos and properly research the particular one youre dealing with. These logos often changed throughout the years and are a great indicator of the age of the cast iron. For example, there are two Griswold logos – a newer one that is about 2 inches wide, and an older logo which is much larger at 4 inches wide. The new pans with the small logo dont have any real collectible value yet while the old logo pans can fetch a pretty penny.
Cast Iron Skillet Sizes Explained
FAQ
Is 10 or 12 cast iron better?
What size is a number 5 cast iron skillet?
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No.
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Top Diameter in inches
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Bottom Diameter in inches
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5
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8
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6 3/4
|
|
6
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9 1/8
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7 1/2
|
|
7
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9 7/8
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8 1/4
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|
8
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10 5/8
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8 7/8
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How old is gate marked cast iron?
How do you know what size a cast iron cookware is?
A number corresponding to the cast-iron cookware’s size usually appears on the top of the handle or on the underside of the piece. Standard-size numbers, starting with the smallest, range from 2 to 14, and then jump to 20, the largest.
What is the iron count that runs between 1-30 called?
It means low iron in blood, which is commonly found in long-standing gastrointestinal bleed, pregnancy, heavy menstrual bleed, and intestinal conditions that cause poor absorption of iron.
How do I know if my cast iron cookware is old?
Compare the logo and writing style to an identification guide book on vintage cast iron to provide further clues to your cookware’s age. A number corresponding to the cast-iron cookware’s size usually appears on the top of the handle or on the underside of the piece.
How do you identify cast-iron cookware?
A manufacturer of cast-iron cookware often stamps its name in large text on the underside of the piece. For example, Wagner, Griswold, Lodge, Wapak and Favorite are some common names seen in cast-iron cookware.