The Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association (GCICA) is a friendly group of cast iron enthusiasts and collectors. Membership in the group provides an opportunity to meet fellow collectors of vintage iron cookware, tell stories, see, swap, sell, and buy pieces, learn from people who have a tremendous amount of knowledge, and make new friends.
You know how some people’s eyes glaze over when you start talking about your love for old cast iron cookware? Not with this group!
GCICA has an annual convention each Spring for the membership. In the fall, each of the four local “chapters” holds two-day meets.1
In September, Linda and I traveled to North Platte, Nebraska, for the Heartland GCICA meet hosted by collectors Doug and Kathy Wenz. There were about 27 cast iron enthusiasts in attendance who had traveled from all over the United States.
Friday Evening
The meetup began on Friday September 27 with dinner at a local restaurant.
Doug and Kathy then welcomed all attendees to their beautiful home nearby, where Kathy had prepared an extensive array of desserts using some of their collectible kitchenware.
Doug and Kathy, especially Kathy, share my interest in mid-century modern style. I enjoyed seeing all the wonderful mod items in the Wenz home, including Blenko and Viking art glass (and more!), swag lamps, Oppenheimer table lamps, Heywood Wakefield furniture, a black ceramic panther planter (similar to a cherished panther lamp from my childhood that I have on display), and a fantastic Venetian shade lamp.
Not surprisingly, they also have a gorgeous collection of iron.
The Wenz iron collection is displayed both in the house and in Doug’s adjacent workshop. Doug is the primary iron collector, although Kathy is also strongly interested in the pieces, particularly for cooking. Kathy says that if a piece is in the house, it is fair game for use!
Doug’s main collecting focus is on Griswold. Their collection includes beautiful Griswold Flamingo Red enameled pieces, skillets, muffin and gem pans, Dutch ovens, and much more. Doug and Kathy estimate that they have about 500 pieces in their collection.2
Saturday
On Saturday morning, attendees gathered at the North Platte American Legion. Kathy once again treated us to a delicious spread of food, including sweet treats, biscuits and gravy, egg casserole, and fruit. All of the foods prepared for the weekend’s events were made in pans from their collection.
Show and Tell
One of the highlights of all GCICA meets is a “show and tell,” where collectors bring interesting and/or unusual items for others in the group to see and discuss.
Highlights from Saturday’s show and tell included Tom Moran’s Mohawk salesman’s sample display of toy-sized tin cookware, Art Chatfield’s “The Favorite” kettle with raised lettering, and Larry and Marg O’Neil’s Grateful Dead “Steal Your Face” skillets. Heartland Director Brian Wheeler showcased several unusual pieces including a mop wringer, Stover window sash puller, and an interesting Stuart Peterson piece. Heartland chapter founder Russ Howser closed out the show and tell portion of the event with several items, including a Wearever waiter’s tray, a gate-marked round griddle with a honeycomb bottom, and a ceramic “Honey Baked Ham Company” carving stand.
After a short Q&A session, the group had a swap meet, which is always a favorite among attendees. It’s a great opportunity to purchase collectible pieces at fair prices. I was able to buy a Favorite Piqua Ware skillet from Art Chatfield and an ERIE wax ladle from Larry O’Neil. Although Linda and I brought a few pieces to sell, we didn’t get them out in time to take advantage of the fresh and enthusiastic buyers.
Following the swap meet, there was a business meeting followed by lunch. The lunch included brisket sandwiches, 24-hour coleslaw, and potato salad – again, all prepared by Kathy Wenz.
Skillet Toss
The final event for the meetup was a fun skillet toss game. GCICA Treasurer Brenda Bernstein had made adorable skillet awards for the event, which added to the friendly competition. Deanna Harrison won first place, Linda Lamb came in second, and Lydia Rutt placed third. Shirley Willard received the “good sport” award.
Many thanks to Doug and Kathy for hosting the very tasty weekend of enjoyable and educational events. Everyone had a great time, and it was wonderful to spend time with cast iron friends!
Now, isn’t it time for you to join the Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association?
- GCICA has four chapters: Northeast, Heartland, Dixie, and West Coast. Your membership in a chapter is determined by your place of residence.
- A blog post is forthcoming with more information about the Wenz’s and their iron collection.
One Comment
Marg O’Neil
October 21, 2024 at 7:12 amThanks for the nice write up. It is always fun to get together with so many of our cast iron friends. Kathy and Doug did an amazing job especially opening their house for all of us to see their wonderful display of different pieces of their collections. Also the homemade desserts. Thanks again Larry and Marg O