My immersion into the world of vintage cast iron cookware journey began with the purchase of a single Griswold gem pan. I had read that some cast iron was collectible, and I was curious.
The gem pan was gorgeous, and I was struck by its craftsmanship and history. I dove into learning more about Griswold, and other cast iron manufacturers.
This small purchase led me to acquire and restore more iron cookware, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Soon, I found myself cooking almost exclusively in cast iron. The environmentally friendly and non-toxic nature of cast iron cookware appealed to me, but what truly resonated was the opportunity to revive these old pieces and place them in homes where they would be cherished and used by others.
The Pan Handler LLC.
I began selling some of the pieces that I had restored on Craigslist and eBay, and discovered that there was an active market for vintage and antique cast iron cookware. After a few years, in 2011, I founded a business called The Pan Handler LLC. Shortly after, I created an e-Commerce website, started blogging, and began selling pans globally on the internet.
The business had successful growth, and in 2015, I retired from my full-time job to focus entirely on vintage and antique cast iron cookware restoration and sales. I traveled across the country, often with my good friend Linda Lamb, who worked with me as the Pan Apprentice, searching for iron to restore and re-home. Sales were excellent, and I spent all of my time working on cast iron in one way or another.
Sale of the Business
One summer weekend in 2016, I went sailing with friends and experienced the peace of being away from the computer and phone. It made me realize I wanted to slow down and enjoy life more than I was able to do while running the business.
After much thought, I made the difficult decision to sell the business effective January 1, 2017.
Acquisition of the Business URL by an operation in China
Under new leadership, the business continued to operate until some time around 2019, when its operations suddenly ceased. An operation in China somehow acquired the website URL. As a result, the website as I knew it and all of the previous content that I had written disappeared.
I have no involvement with the China operation, which currently uses the URL of my old business. It is disheartening, to say the least, that the business name and some of my old content has been used without consent.
Now?
After selling the business, I continued to research and share my knowledge and experiences about cast iron through various platforms. While life and family have intervened – as it does – my passion for these old pieces remains.
I have spent significant time researching, recreating content and writing new content. Although my earlier work is lost, I remain dedicated to providing accurate and engaging information about these old pieces of iron.
I have enjoyed my return to research and writing. I like to delve into the history and stories behind these old pieces. I love engaging with collectors and enthusiasts – many of whom I count as friends – admiring their collections, and sharing their love of these cherished pieces of American history.
There are so many people now who are excited about using and collecting vintage and antique iron—far more than when I began my cast iron adventure. It makes me happy to see how the interest has spread!
Doris Mosier
Doris Mosier was the original holder of the url griswoldcookware.com. She and her husband Bob were long-time collectors (I’ve written a blog post about them!) She wrote about Griswold cookware on the website, and did some buying and selling.
After having the site for about 20 years, Doris sold me her site and the URL. I am honored that she has entrusted me with the site’s legacy.
I have preserved some of Doris’s writings; you’ll find them by searching for “Doris” on the home page.