Doug and Kathy Wenz
Doug and Kathy Wenz live in a charming mid-century modern home in North Platte, Nebraska. They have three grown children, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Doug retired from the Nebraska Power District, and Kathy retired from both the Nebraska Power District and a local law firm. In addition to their cast-iron hobby, they enjoy volunteering at their church and at the Lincoln County Historical Museum.
Doug and Kathy’s Connection to Vintage and Antique Cast Iron
Doug and Kathy have both been cooking with cast iron for many years. They attribute their culinary expertise with cast iron to their experiences in the Boy Scouts of America, where they learned to cook using Dutch ovens and camp stoves. Doug believes that if you can cook with cast-iron Dutch ovens, you can cook with any cast iron!
A piece from Kathy’s grandmother has been a staple in the Wenz kitchen for about 50 years: a Griswold cast-iron large block logo double skillet top. For many years, Doug and Kathy didn’t realize the piece was part of a set (Griswold double skillet set, size 80, pattern numbers 1102 and 1103); they simply used the top as a skillet. Once they began collecting, however, they learned that the piece had a mate. They set out to find it, and now they have a beautiful heirloom Griswold large block logo hinged skillet set in their cookware rotation.
Doug is the family’s chief iron collector. He estimates that they have about 500 pieces in their collection. The collection is focused on pieces made by the Griswold Manufacturing Company. Doug has a particular interest in waffle irons and Dutch ovens. His favorite piece in the collection is an Andresen Goro oven.
Kathy’s interest in the old iron stems mainly from its culinary uses. While the Wenz collection is stored in their home and Doug’s adjacent workshop, Kathy says that if a piece finds its way into the house, it becomes fair game for use as a cooking vessel. A Wagner chef’s skillet is used almost daily in their household.1
Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when Doug’s interest in old iron began, he and Kathy consider February 6, 2016—the day they attended a Pennsylvania auction—the true start of their collecting journey.
For some time before that, Doug had been following the Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association (G&CICA) Facebook page. During that period, he connected with fellow G&CICA member and cast iron enthusiast Randy Young (now deceased), messaging him to learn more about iron and the hobby.
While visiting one of their sons in the area, Doug and Kathy noticed a flyer for the Pennsylvania cast iron auction. They decided to attend, purchased a few skillets, and just like that, their collecting adventure began.
Doug and Kathy’s Involvement with the Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association
While at the Pennsylvania auction, Doug and Kathy visited with Randy Young, who encouraged them to join the national collector’s group – Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association (G&CICA). They did, and attended their first national convention in Springfield, Missouri, in May 2017.2 They have attended every national convention and Heartland chapter meet since.
Doug and Kathy have helped at the conventions in various ways, including assisting with the auction and hospitality room.
Doug was elected vice president of the G&CICA Heartland chapter in 2021. He now serves as its president. Doug and Kathy hosted about 25 G&CICA members in North Platte, Nebraska at the September 2024 Heartland chapter meet.
Doug and Kathy’s favorite thing about G&CICA is its members. They appreciate the camaraderie and willingness to share information. Club members are an excellent resource for learning about the old iron!
A Story from Doug and Kathy
One of Doug and Kathy’s favorite parts of the G&CICA conventions is the “Show and Tell” and “Stump the Expert” sessions. They enjoy hunting for funky and unusual pieces to try to stump the experts.
To show me one of their unusual finds, they pulled out the pieces shown here.
I was stumped – are you? For the answer, scroll to the bottom of this post!
Doug and Kathy’s Advice for New Collectors
Like many newcomers to collecting, Doug began by buying nearly every vintage cast-iron piece he encountered. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he acquired two additional collections. At that point, he had accumulated more cast iron than he wanted, so he and Kathy began selling the excess at swap meets and in a booth at a local antique mall. After about a year, they had whittled their holdings down to a more manageable size.
As a result of that experience, their main advice to new collectors is simple: be selective when making purchases. Start with a narrow focus. Do your research, talk to other collectors, and know what you are buying before you buy.
**The funky cast iron pieces shown earlier are antique dental molds.
- Kathy and Doug hosted the Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association (G&CICA) Heartland chapter meetup in September 2024. Kathy prepared all of the food for attendees in pieces from their collection.
- An article in Southern Cast Iron magazine, “Iron Pride,” highlighted the convention.
