No matter the purpose of owning your Griswold cast iron items, there are certain facts you need to be aware of. First of all, they are highly valuable, collectible, and rare. That makes this particular cookware highly desirable for real collectors and American history lovers. Believe it or not, its history goes back to the 19th century when many kitchen items were handmade.
Since these pieces are of high quality, have a good reputation, and century-long durability, many chefs, cooks, and housewives still prepare their meals in Griswold cast iron cooking dishes. Most of them refuse to replace them with contemporary cooking equipment because they disapprove of the theory that modern is better. Let’s discover the reason for their attitude.
Produced by Griswold Manufacturing in the late 19th century, according to Gear Patrol, the exceedingly rare skillet can be identified by a stamp of a spider in a web on its base. The origin of the Spider Skillet is unclear, and it is the only Griswold skillet ever to be emblazoned with an arachnid.
Griswold Slant logo with EPU and heat ring (1906-1926)
It was not unusual that some logos overlapped in that period. Therefore, you can find another Slant Logo with EPU in the period from 1906 to 1926. The EPU is short for Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. Until then, all the logos had the sign Erie, PA, USA, but from then on, they got the short version EPU.
Large block logo without heat ring and italic lettering (1930-1939)
The other was circa large block logo from 1930 to 1939. Somewhere in that period, the large block logo on the cookware without a heat ring appeared. Don’t worry if you have one of those. It is not fake but just another crazy variation.
A Look at Griswold Cast Iron Cookware
FAQ
Are Griswold cast iron skillets worth anything?
How can you tell a fake Griswold?
How can you tell how old a Griswold skillet is?
Are Griswold skillets rare?
Griswold is THE NAME in the world of skillets, and iron-cast cookware in all. Most manufacturers produced skillets from number 1 to 20. The most valuable and rarest Griswold skillets are those under numbers 1, 2, 11, 13, and 20. Unfortunately, number 1 is extremely rare and those are very hard to find despite their small size.
Is Griswold cast iron rare?
If you are an experienced cast iron collector, you know some Griswold cast iron is rarer than others. However, for those unfamiliar with Griswold cast iron, you might think that small skillets and unusual pieces hold no value. So, in this article, you can learn about hard-to-find and rare Griswold cast iron with the circle cross logo.
What are some rare Griswold items?
In the vast collection of Griswold items, there are several rare and unique pieces that stand out. The first piece ever made by Selden and Griswold was a hinge, patented on February 13th, 1866. This rare item marked the beginning of the company, which later expanded into cookware production. Some other interesting pieces include:
How much is a Griswold Pan worth?
Rare sizes on Griswold skillets can affect how much a pan is worth. Sellers put a premium on both irregular small sizes and larger sizes. Although I prefer larger pans, size two can command a high price tag. And many people like the larger-sized pans for baking. Sizes 10-14 can cost a pretty penny, particularly for size 13.