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…
Ephemera and Advertising
Posts that include vintage advertising or other paper concerning a manufacturer or its product(s).
1911 Griswold Bulletin A6 Available for Download
While I was nosing around re-finding the public access site for the Griswold catalog no. 45, I ran across this Griswold cast aluminum product bulletin dated September 1, 1911: “Cast Aluminum Oven Ware and New Safety Tea Kettle.” It is in the public domain and is available for free .pdf download. CLICK HERE to access…
Griswold Cast Iron Collector Joannie Baldini
Joannie Baldini Joannie Baldini and her late husband Joe, of Erie, Pennsylvania, are two of the six founders of the Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association (GCICA), a national vintage and cast iron cookware collectors’ club. She and Joe began collecting vintage cast iron in 1988. Joannie’s interest in vintage cast iron Joannie has a…
1910 Lodge Manufacturing Company Cast Iron Catalog Available for Download
A 31 page Lodge Manufacturing Company product catalog from 1910 is available online for free download.
Griswold Catalog no. 45 Available for Public Download
Old company catalogs are incredibly valuable to collectors as they assist in educating, identifying, and dating antique and vintage cast iron and aluminum pieces, as well as in viewing complete product lines. However, these old catalogs are often difficult to come by. Occasionally, a collector may offer reproductions of a catalog from their collection for…
The “Mrs. Potts” Sad Iron
What is a “Sad” Iron? The sad iron got its name from its weight and heft. It played an important role in households of the past, similar to the electric irons we use today. These old irons were heated on wood or coal stoves, a testament to the era they belong to, and were then…
Antique Trader Cover Story: Joseph Zawadowski and his Cast Iron Pups
My little ditty about Joseph Zawadowski and his cache of cast iron pups was the cover story for the February 27, 2019 edition of Antique Trader. I’ve written a bit about Joe’s pups and snuggle pups as well as the infamous “Griswold” “silver” pups, how to identify a reproduction Griswold pup, and current values for…
Best batter for use with Griswold cast iron cake molds?
Directions for baking a cake in a Griswold cast iron cake mold.