The Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association The Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association (GCICA) is a vibrant community of vintage cast iron collectors and enthusiasts united by a shared passion for collectible cast iron cookware. Its membership includes those just starting their journey and seasoned collectors with huge collections. The members love vintage cast…
Griswold Cookware
Collectors and Collections,
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Griswold, Lodge, Wagner, Favorite, Wapak, and More!
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…
Grady Britt, Vintage Lodge Cast Iron Collector
Southerner Grady Britt is a long-time vintage Lodge cast iron collector. While he also has pieces by many other manufacturers – notably Griswold – the focus of his study and collection is vintage and antique Lodge cast iron. Grady and Jean Britt Linda and I had a lovely visit with Grady and Jean Britt, to…
The O’Neil Home Collection continued: the Basement!
I made twelve videos of the O’Neil collection. The first three showcased the O’Neil home’s kitchen and dining room. Now, we’re moving on to the basement, which is jam-packed with treasures! The O’Neil Basement Collection Coming up next: the Museum! You can also see all of the videos (12!) on my youtube channel.
Vintage Cast Iron Glue Pots
I usually love thinking about the history of the old pieces of iron that I run across – where they have been, how they have been used, and who used them. The history of the glue pot, however, is not quite as charming for me to ponder. I ran across a pretty little cast iron…
“Griswold” Pup: Authentic or Reproduction?
How can you tell whether a pup marked “Griswold” is authentic or a reproduction? Griswold pups have been widely reproduced. With just a little knowledge and education, you can quickly determine whether a pup marked “Griswold” is authentic or a reproduction. I spent time with Joe and Nancy Zawadowski of Durham, North Carolina, in September…
2002 Antique and Vintage Cast Iron Cookware Prices
In December 2023, I visited my friend Harold R. Henry in Hamilton Missouri, who collects cast iron pieces. While looking through his large collection, I found an old auction catalog from 2002. Harold had noted down the prices of the items sold at that auction. I found it fascinating to compare those prices to today’s…
The Griswold Burglar Alarm
Griswold made much more than just a line of cookware. Did you know that Griswold also made, and held the patent for, a burglar alarm? I didn’t think so. Inventors John Harvey and David Shields obtained a patent in 1894 for the gadget, and the patent was assigned to Matthew Griswold, founder of the Griswold…