Antique Cast Iron Frying Pan with One Pouring Spout and Ornate Handle

[KevinM]

I recently purchased this cast iron frying pan with one pouring spout and an ornate handle that I can't find another one like and was hoping there was someone here who might know something about it.

It's made of cast iron, has the number 8 on the bottom. It also has a raised rim circling the bottom and a raised line going across the bottom. There is an ornate handle that looks like it might have the letter "W" and/or and Arrow Point within the design.

The top rim of the pan is about 10 1/2 inches wide, the bottom rim is about 9 inches wide and the width from the tip of the handle to the pan's rim on the opposite side is about 15 1/2 inches wide. The pan is fairly light for it's size and weighs about 3 pound 5 ounces.

Does anyone know who the maker or manufacturer of this cast iron pan is, the vintage or age, or any history about it?

Thanks!
Kevin

[cogar]

Your skillet is quite old but without a name or logo on it the maker may remain a mystery.

The straight line ridge across the bottom is a “forging” mark (called flash) remaining from where the melted cast iron was poured into the mold.

The circle around the bottom is often called a “fire ring”. These type skillets were made for use on the old wood burning cast iron cook stoves. One could remover the round “burner plate” in the stove top surface and then put the skillet in place of it, the ring on the skillet matching the hole in the stove top. Thus the name “fire ring”, …. preventing the flames from escaping around the bottom of the skillet.

 

[KevinM]

Thanks cogar for the great information on the history of the bottom markings of this skillet!

I was wondering if these types of skillets were issued (bought) with the old wood burning cast iron cook stoves and made by the manufacturer of the stove or if the number represented a standard for the hole size in the cast iron cook stoves so they could fit exactly to a stove when purchased separately?

The size of the fire ring is about 7 Inches, from the fire ring to the skillet's edge it's another 1 Inch which equals 8 when added. Is that where the number 8 comes from on this skillet? Also, is that where the number system on the newer skillets originated from although the number 8 on skillets made today would mean an 8 Inch width skillet?

[talesofthesevenseas]

Sometimes they also call that straight line where the piece was broken off from the mold a "gate mark". Nice pan and very collectable!

[mart]

You could check the older Wagner and Western Foundry marks !!  The pour spout is for bacon/meat grease to be poured into a container !! It was/is used for seasoning and frying other things !! They recycled back then !!  The shorter handle on your skillet might indicate some age to it !!

[talesofthesevenseas]

This forum is very good. They may be able to identify it more precisely: http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl

[KevinM]

Thanks everyone for all the great help and suggestions! mart, I did look for the old Wagner and Western Foundry marks but just couldn't find a lot of info on the real old ones. talesofthesevensea, thanks for that link, I'm going to have to give them a try.

Oh, BTW, check out the Reutter Original Germany Shadow Box with the vintage stove to go with my skillet that I purchased at the thrift store today! Think it will fit?  

Thanks!
Kevin

[talesofthesevenseas]

Hey! That's me in my kitchen! 

[mart]

Kevin You are , without a doubt,, the luckiest person I have never met to find all these things !!  I gotta go shopping with you someday !!  LOL

[KevinM]

mart, thanks! BTW, I've been holding out on a few other recent purchases that I can't find and haven't had time to post. To Clue you in one is a vintage (early 1900's *maybe* or perhaps earlier) ladder back wicker seat rocking chair for a child that has the most perfect lines I've seen so I had to have it.

I know these sometimes don't go for more than 20 dollars or so but this one turned my head. Has the old hand wood plane marks under the arms and all.

The second one is a small Sturdi Cedar Chest "Sturdi Box" with the maker info on the bottom including "Pat Applied For" and no other Dates (could be the first one). This is early 1920's or 1910's, can't find another like it. It's the small Sturdi Box given to you if you purchased the large one. I guess it could also be a sales man version. All the others I've seen have Dates like 1924 then "additional patents applied for" or something like that on them.

[mart]

Those sample boxes can go for pretty fair money !!  Can`t wait to see it !!

[KC]

Agree, would like to go thrifting with you!