Need help identifying

[Adamschwaderer]

Hey all, brand new here. I have had this cast iron skillet in my drawer for the past 7 years now. I don’t know if the lid goes with the skillet. Also, I am needing help identifying if the cast iron is actually real. According to my mom, this was my grandmothers. The skillet has no markings on it besides the 8 on the bottom. The lid has “Girswold” misspelled. According to what I’ve read on the internet— the lid is genuine.

I’m hoping you guys can inform me on what I actually have. Thank you!

 

[Andy M.]

The lid has a "9" on it while one of the skillets has an "8". I'd say the do not fit together. Should be easy enough to verify. Are there two skillets? The shiny one appears to have more sloping sides that the bottoms up one. What's on the bottom of the shiny skillet?

 

[Adamschwaderer]

There is nothing on the bottom of the shiny skillet.. that’s why I am having a hard time identifying a brand.

 

[Aunt Bea]

This may help to confuse you even more. They have a discussion section that may be able to help you.

Evolution of the Griswold Trademark - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

The Cast Iron Collector: Information for the Vintage Cookware Enthusiast. Learn how to identify, clean, restore, season and use collectible antique cast iron cookware.

www.castironcollector.com

Some skillets have the word Erie spelled Eire and some skillets have the word Griswold spelled as Girswold.

Some believe that they were simple errors made by illiterate or rushed mold makers and some believe them to be fakes or knockoffs.

In any case the error would be prized by most serious collectors.

IMO the skillet and lid are not related.

 

[Adamschwaderer]

Thank you! I am realizing now that they have no relation. Now I just need to figure out what the skillet is all about.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Good luck!

The skillet looks to be old, with a fire ring, and of good quality.

The number could be a simple catalog number or indicate the diameter of the skillet bottom.

I would continue to use and enjoy them both until I was too old to lift them and then pass them along to the next generation.

 

[blissful]

Good luck!

The skillet looks to be old, with a fire ring, and of good quality.

The number could be a simple catalog number or indicate the diameter of the skillet bottom.

I would continue to use and enjoy them both until I was too old to lift them and then pass them along to the next generation.

It's not old age causing them to be too heavy to lift, but the pans get heavier over time.

 

[thymeless]

Your lid says Griswold. That doesn't prove what the pan is. The pan looks like what I usually see called a fryer. Deeper walls to hold the oil. Often on a fryer, the lid inverts into a skillet too.

 

[msmofet]

Your lid says Griswold. That doesn't prove what the pan is. The pan looks like what I usually see called a fryer. Deeper walls to hold the oil. Often on a fryer, the lid inverts into a skillet too.

Looks like Girswold to me.

 

[Katie H]

Just a little something to consider.

 

[Kathleen]

I was going to say that the pan looks like a fryer.