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!
Manufacturers
Posts about cast iron manufacturers, and/or specific pieces made by those manufacturers. To narrow down results to a specific manufacturer, either type the name of the manufacturer in the "search" bar on the home page or look at the sub-category names in the category list in the sidebar.
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…
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…
Fake and Reproduction Griswold and More, by Larry O’Neil
Many moons ago, Larry O’Neil prepared a presentation of some fake and reproduction Griswold and other poorly cast pieces that had crossed his path. Larry O’Neil, of course, is the movie star collector from Tacoma, Washington who – along with his so-not-shrinking-violet spouse Marg – has a ginormous private cast iron museum. Larry and Marg…
Harold R. Henry, Cast-Iron Collector
Preface Harold Henry, of Hamilton, Missouri, passed away on June 8, 2025, at the age of 90. He was a delightful storyteller, a hardworking farmer, and a retired auctioneer of cattle. Harold was also an avid collector of cast-iron cookware. He was my friend. Harold had a deep affection for Lodge cast iron, both for…
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…
How to Use Google Images Search to Learn about Your Iron with Just a Photograph
Years ago, I created a video on how to learn about a pan using Google Images Search and a photograph. As it’s worth repeating, I made another one, showing how to learn things about several different antique iron pieces, including the funky “7-way Universal Tool.” Take a look – it’s easier than you think!