I created a slideshow with all prices realized from a cast iron collector’s auction held on August 22, 2025. This was day one of a two-day auction. The auction was held at Dinky’s Auction Center in Montgomery Indiana. It was an in-person auction, and it ran simultaneously online at Auction Zip. The second day of…
Determining the Age of “ERIE” Skillets
You have an antique cast-iron skillet marked “ERIE.” How do you determine its age? I recently published the Roy Meadows article entitled”‘ERIE’ Skillets,” to the blog. This article is very useful for identifying and dating antique cast iron skillets marked “ERIE.” The timing was good for me, as I recently acquired two antique Griswold skillets:…
1883 Selden & Griswold Hollow Ware Product List Available for Download
Here’s a nice find: a digital reprint of an 1883 fold-out hollow ware product brochure by the Selden & Griswold Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania. As you can see, the front cover of the Selden & Griswold brochure has some handwritten words. I suspect the handwriting on the cover – “C.A.M. from M.G.Sr.” – refers…
1866 Savery Catalog, 49 pages: Public Domain, Free Download
This is a nice find! Here is a link to a 1866 Savery & Co., Proprietors, Philadelphia Iron Hollow Ware Foundry 49-page catalog, in the public domain and available for free download. The original is held by the University of Delaware, and it may be viewed there online. It may be downloaded at HathiTrust. Enjoy!
1924 Wagner Cast Iron and Aluminum Catalog Public Domain, Available for Download
I ran across the Wagner Manufacturing Company’s Catalog number 30 on the internet. It is a 96-page catalog from 1924. It is in the public domain and available for free download. You can find it here. These catalogs are an invaluable resource for collectors and enthusiasts.
The Origin of Griswold’s Erie Spider Trademark
The Griswold “Erie” Spider trademark skillet is among the most sought-after by collectors. What is the origin of the spider trademark, you ask? Bulletin A of Griswold’s “general catalogue” (1904) (left) gives us a pretty solid clue: The back of Bulletin A shows the spider trademark, and states: As the little spider brought success to…
Looking for the Value of a Particular Piece? Finding Recent “Sold” Prices is a Good Start.
“What’s it worth?” I’ve said it before – in my opinion, the current “value” of a particular piece is shown by what someone is willing to pay for it. Age, scarcity, the precise markings on the pan, current demand, timing, the reputation of the seller, and condition condition condition are all reflected in the what…
Don’t be Misled: This Match Holder was not made by the Griswold Mfg. Co. of Erie, PA!
Just after posting Larry O’Neil’s slideshow about fakes and repros, I came across an interesting item up for online auction on July 26, 2025: a vintage cast-iron match keeper or holder marked “GRISWOLD” on the back. It’s Marked Griswold – is it Griswold? The auction house describes it as: Stamped Griswold match keep made of…