This was a painful reminder of the Erie no. 10 skillet i managed to break. It was in magnificent condition, really pristine. Knocked it off the counter and it shattered. Deep thin walls, a heat ring, no visible defects. Great cooker. Now just a memory
Oh my gosh that last pan the one with the word Erie on it is just like the one I have. I’ve never known much about it other than it belonged to my grandmother‘s grandmother who got it in the late 1800s. She used it every day of her life and when she died she left it to my grandmother. She used it for 60 years until I married and she gave it to me. In addition to that I have a carbon steel frying pan that I got from my grandmother that she received as a wedding gift in 1928. I only ever saw my grandmother cook with those two pans and they are both coal black. Those two pans along with a large 12 inch chicken fryer with lid that my mother-in-law gave me on my wedding 40 years ago are the only pans I have ever used. something You might find funny, all my married life I wanted an all clad skillet because I had heard how wonderful they are. A few years back I got one and everything stuck to it. It didn’t matter what kind of oil I used or what temperature I used it at everything stuck. That pan is now in the bottom of a drawer while my three old faithful’s are sitting on top of my stove right now. Thank you and best wishes. MM
That is just awesome Margaret! You have some valuable pans there monetarily, but most importantly sentimental value that no $ can replace. I can see why you would want these on your stove to use everyday. I was very lucky to have found the ERIE Pre-Griswold. The estate sale company had no idea what it was or how valuable it was and I paid only $12 for it. When I saw ERIE on it, I knew I had hit the jackpot! lol This one sells for $200+ online and probably in person as it is the 2nd series (Star mark) of pre-Griswold Erie skillets. I just can't bear to sell it, but still haven't used it! lol Anyway, thanks for watching. Best wishes to you as well. 😊
Thanks CIC! I know right? I was so disappointed that the initial skillets were over priced and the #12 that I had my eye on was both an unmarked Wagner that was a spinner (ugh) which they wanted $25! It pays to know your cast iron. Apparently these people only know "GRISWOLD" not ERIE which is actually early GRISWOLD which I am sure you already know! lol Anyway, it felt great to pull one over on them assuming it cleans up without major flaws. For $12 I was willing to take a chance.
You're looking for the Red Mountains marked with an "S" for small. They're much more rare and worth $$. I scored on a 3S the other day -- second time I'd been to the shop, but with newfound knowledge!
I re seasoned many skillets with that crud on them. Got out my cheap BBQ with lid. Got it up to 400-500f put them in when its cool, take them out brush them off, your done. All crud gone, start seasoning in the same grill.
My mom cooked on a HUGE cast iron skillet. It was smooth as glass. You could cook an egg on it and came up with no sticking to the pan. Unfortunately my brother got it. But it's very heavy so I'm fine with it. Lol. He also got the little 6 incher I'm sure my mom bought them together. I have no idea what brand they are but it was purchased in the 40s. When she was a new bride. It cooked the best fried chicken. She seasoned it every year. Love your channel ❤
Thank you Rita! I am working on a video now, but it's been so cold in my area, I haven't found much new cast iron to clean, so I am working on redoing a couple of cheap skillets I already have! Your brother is lucky - large cast iron skillets are more and more difficult to find, especially in good condition!
Great video! My wife and I love cooking with cast iron. We also have an old ERIE 9” skillet which was handed down to us and with some research we figure that it is a “Third series” which dates somewhere between 1892-1905. We still cook with it often. If you take care of the cast iron’s then they will last a lifetime.
Thank you Tim for stopping by, watching and for commenting! People have commented that these Erie skillets are not rare, but from most of the comments and from my own research they seem quite rare or at least not common at all! I've found bean pots with gate marks all over the place, but this is the first antique skillet I've ever held made in the late 1800s. I couldn't get over how light it is! I'm happy to hear you've had yours for a long time and use it often. I will be tempted to keep mine unless I find another to sell! If only skillets could talk! lol
That's just about what I did Kevin! I couldn't believe that the estate sale company missed this one, especially after that small Griswold they had priced at $35! A lot of estate sale people can't possibly know everything and that applies to thrift stores as well. Some things they just miss. The other day I found some hand made Italian shoes (Di Blanco) that sell new for MSRP at $700-1000 and I found some excellent condition used ones for $15! There were 4 pairs and I bought the best two. The next day I stopped in and the other pairs were gone. I laugh when they have cheaper new men's shoes priced at $25-30 (think Dexter and Bush Nunn etc). So whatever you're into cast iron and whatever else, you will find some treasures others miss especially when you're not even looking! Anyway, thank you! Sorry for the novel! lol
I have an old Erie, would love to know more about it. Came from my grandmother who passed it down to her daughter and landed up with a cousin of mine. She was going to dispose of it so I said I would take it. Didn't know what I was given till much later.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I need to clean it up, but a little intimidated. Any chance i could send you photos and you could tell me a little more about it?
Thank you! I was excited to discover this pan in the corner of the kitchen seemingly neglected! Thankfully it cleaned up really well and has become a member of my collection. :-)
I think you can grind down that spin. I am pleased with vinegar bath...don't know about lye...it takes forever... I'm surprised you didn't barter on those high prices...good luck!
I am not sure where in the video you are talking or what pan you mean. What I can tell you is that I would never ever use a wire wheel or brush on an antique like this ERIE. That would totally destroy the value and integrity of the pan. I am doing one now that has wire wheel marks and it is disgusting. Someone either didn't know what they were doing and/or used the wrong tools to clean up the pan. Lye bath and vinegar soaks can work fairly fast if they are strong and you are willing to scrub in between soakings. Works wonders without a drill!
During thsi quarantine i've been slowly groing through your videos and enjoying every one of them. Very informative and for once I like to hear a female voice behind cast iron! Needless to say, I subscribed.
Glad you like them and thanks for subscribing! You will keep yourself busy just getting through my long play list! Stay tuned as I continue to upload new videos as I have a chance to make them. 😊
When i find an old cast iron skillet I just throw in our kitchen oven and run it through the self cleaning mod….does a great job…lust remember to shut off your smoke detectors….I,ve over 60 cast iron in my collection….
I would never ever put a vintage skillet with thin side walls into a self clean oven. That is a really good way to warp a pan or cause heat damage. If you it non collectible and something like a unmarked Wagner or BS&R, and covered in crud, then have at it! The thicker walls of the pan should help to prevent warpage. Proceed with caution. Let's agree to disagree. Thanks for watching.
I don't usually look at CI videos on YT, but this one came up on my feed and I was intrigued to see what the finds were. After watching and reading the comments, I'd like to add a couple of observations if I may, and promise I won't make it a habit. The BSR #5 is from their early automation period, early 1950s, as evidenced by the small pour spouts and neatness of the font. It could have been sold as either a Red Mountain or. Century. It is correct to say the marks inside the Wagners are not milling marks, that's another process, but they are polish grinding marks from the factory, not from some ill-advised cleaning technique. I'd say more people call them heat rings than smoke rings, but neither is incorrect. The rings served variously as levelers for bottom gated or less-than-level bottomed pans, as centering/sealing rings over woodstove eyes, and in certain situations to help alleviate hot spots. The Erie should have only one maker's mark, the star. The other thing near the size number is likely just a casting anomaly. The Ws on the unmarked Wagner are pattern identifiers, and shouldn't be inferred to stand for Wagner, it's only coincidence in this case. Hope that's helpful.
Thanks for the clarification! I love that site by the same name as your YT name and glad you stopped by to watch my video! I did have a Wagner once with only part of the W showing up, otherwise, it would have been an unmarked Wagner. In this instance it was a ghost pan! That pan had the polish grinding marks inside the skillet which had a very cool look to it. Upon doing to research, I discovered that Wagner offered several different finishes on the skillets one of which was the polish grinding circular marks and another finish was smooth. So many people don't realize that. Needless to say, that skillet was a bit of a spinner and a #8, but it sold right away after listing it online. As to the W's on the unmarked Wagner, I thought that was referring to the shift or person making the skillet. Pattern makes sense though. Anyway, I appreciate your thoughtful comments. It is amazing how you can help to educate us and the content creator without being nasty or hateful. For that, I really appreciate you! Have a Blessed day. LLS
@@ladylibertystacker2014 One of my most interesting unmarked pans has the Wagner pie logo ghost. I know the Red Book notes that Wagner finishes included "Polished, Extra Finished, Delux", but it seems those are merely terms Wagner used variously in ads and literature to tout their quality, rather than to denote multiple finish offerings. (Much the same as Griswold used the term "Extra Finished Ware" to differentiate their quality from that of competitors. Even gem and muffin pans which were impossible to polish grind were so-described in their catalogs.) Wagner catalogs never spoke of any choice of finishes (other than plated), however, it is not impossible that a wholesale customer may have requested and been offered unmarked pans unpolished. It was not until Wagner's later ownership did away with polish grinding altogether that one would see unfinished pans with the TM. Pans with the spiral grinding marks vs. completely smooth could be chalked up to polish grinder heads nearing end-of-duty life or management considering that less-than-completely smooth level of polish to be adequate. Both BSR and Lodge, however, did offer multiple finish levels concurrently, and which I talk about here: www.castironcollector.com/finishing.php.
Before I started watching your videos on Cast Iron I never realized how collectable the were. When time permits I'll have to do some research on what I have.
Yes, some of them are very collectible and some of them aren't. Here is the best resource I have used to date which will give you a head start. www.castironcollector.com There is a section on how to identify cast iron which is NOT collectible as well because you will run into it if you are on the hunt, or you might have those items in your own collection. That said, as long as they are in decent shape they can still make excellent cookers as you well know. I just tried out my #2 (really a #3) skillet made in Taiwan and it did a superb job. No black icky stuff on my fried egg which I used to make an Egg McMuffin! lol
Thank you! I just made an "Egg McMuffin" this morning on it again and it does a fantastic job. It's been my go to pan for small individual breakfast sandwiches since I finished it! lol
I found my Cast iron Skillets at a property I was cleaning up, they were outside....in terrible shape. I was going to throw them away but I remembered seeing one at Wal-Mart for $50 11"er....So I took them home cleaned them up....10yrs later I use them every day.
Now, that was very smart of you to do that. Most people would have seen that rusty stack and passed it up because they didn't want to mess witgh cleaning them up! Score! :-D
Enjoying your channel very much. Question; When you prepare your Lye bath, what Lye to water ratio do you use? I have several pieces with that "baked" on crud I want to get rid of. Thanks again. Stan
Thank you Harrison. Here is the ratio - 5 gallons of water to every pound (16 oz) of pure lye crystals in that order. I needed to add more lye to my tank when doing a haul of skillets that I sourced over Labor Day weekend so I added 2.5 gallons of additional water plus a cup (8 oz) of lye crystals. You just need enough to cover all of the skillets you have in there at one time! NEVER add the lye first, then the water or things may combust on you. It's always WATER FIRST, then the LYE! I hope this helps.
I used oven cleaner on my pan put inside a 13 gal trash bag for two days. Resprayed it twice during those two days. Most of crud came off. Scrubbed with steel wool followed by soak for a day in apple cider vinegar. It’s beautiful and used twice a week. Andreson heart shaped waffle iron 1899
Yep, that's the way you can do it as well. The only difference between a lye bath and Heavy Duty Easy Off Oven Cleaner is the set up and expenses. They both are pure lye and essentially do the same thing. I bet you love that waffle iron. That one is pretty hard to find and is very collectible! :-)
It's possible. You could Google unmarked unmarked pre-Griswold Erie skillets to see what you find. First, Google all sites, then just images. Good luck!
Yep, you're probably right! Late 1880s would be my guess without looking it up from Griswold/ERIE historical info. It's a keeper for me for sure! Thanks for watching!
Really? I got it to sell it, but now can't part with it. It is such a beautiful pan. My question is, if it is a chef's pan the walls should be more rounded, should they not? If you can supply some information that would be appreciated. Everything I have seen on the Erie Pre-Griswold Series #1-6, I have never seen anything about a Fancy Chef's pan.
My dad gave me his mothers cast iron recently. Some were poorly stored and rusted badly one of the skillets was pitted along the left hand side. It's still very much usable. #10 BS&R Red Mountain. It's the one with the pits. # 10 unmarked Wagner #9 It's unmarked but after research "possible Blacklock" 2x #8 BS&R Red Mountain #8 Crescent Fdy Co Ozark 3x #6 early 3-notch Lodge 2x #8 early Lodge dutch ovens #10 "ERIE" dutch oven. I've never seen any Griswold pieces in the wild much less an ERIE. So hopefully that skillet cleans up very well. Also I know a fair few people won't look at foreign cast iron. But it's cheap, it cooks extremely well and you don't have to worry about it as much. I have a some from Taiwan and Korea that are excellent cookers.
Wow, that is certainly a handful, oops, armful of cast iron you have there! The BS&Rs & early 3 notch Lodges are definitely collectible in good condition not to mention they good cookers as well. I've never seen a Blacklock anywhere so that would be something if you actually have one. I would contact someone at Lodge to see if anyone there might know. Your ERIE dutch oven sounds wonderful. I would definitely keep that one if it cleans up well. Do you make videos? Those restorations would be entertaining to watch! Thanks for stopping by and commenting - much appreciated!
Unfortunately I don't have the means to make videos. I had managed to restore the dutch ovens and a couple of the skillets. My electrolysis setup went the way of the dodo and I haven't had the time to make another. That ERIE is. It's thin, yet glass smooth. I use it quite frequently. I realize it's considered a collectors piece, but it makes some of the best stews and chili's. I can't, not use it especially for the volume it holds.
It was obvious they (estate sale company) didn't know anything about cast iron because they charged me about as much for a BS&R! Not that BS&R is bad, but it is worth 1/15 - 1/20 of the value of an ERIE! lol
Thank you Victor! Just checked the #5 BS&R skillet that was purchased with the Erie star and they both are cleaning up pretty well. It's been 2 days in the lye bath and scrub downs each day with SOS pad and soap to get off the old carbon seasoning. I just stuck them back in for another round. The others are pretty much done! Glad you enjoyed seeing all of them. The find was quite accidental as I was picking through the kitchen and came across them. Needless to say, I did a quick test and grabbed both of these hidden treasures! :-)
WOW! That Erie is amazing! I just found one as well for $1. It wasn't out for sale but asked if they had any cast iron and they pulled it out of a shed. I'm definitely keeping mine!
Thank you Kyle! I definitely didn’t expect to find this skillet in the corner of the kitchen after they took special care to photograph and show another pile of skillets in the ad! This is one of the earliest skillets made by Griswold and dates to about 1870-1880. There is a wavey line on the bottom of the skillet from the sand mold manufacturing process in use at the time that one could say is more primitive. I also have a Griswold #10 large block slant logo skillet that I might sell instead I never used after I restored it! Were you at a garage sale when you found your Erie? I’ve not had ANY luck with garage sales!
Love the video.. But, I must say #8 "ERIE'' is not that rare (currently 65 on eBay right now, but still a great find) Yours is in great shape too, and they go for hi dollar. The taiwan skillet is junk, not old just bad casting.. makes a nice candle holder or door stop though, lol. Fire damaged skillets CAN be re-seasoned (that's a myth) I think the best way to clean a skillet is with spray oven cleaner (let soak), rubber gloves, course scotch-brite pad and elbow grease (several applications) AND, it doesn't remove the seasoning that's deep inside. The ring on the bottom of some older skillets are called "smoke rings" not heat rings. They prevented smoke from escaping from the wood burning stove tops (I see this said a lot though) The one skillet you showed with what you called "mill marks" (circular groves on the inside bottom and on the pour spouts) Those are marks from a grinder, the previous owner did in an attempt to clean it (not good) Other than that one and the Taiwan skillet, the rest are beautiful. The BSR for $15 and the "ERIE" for $12 that's crazy good. Both are keepers for sure and perhaps users as well.. I use my unmarked Wagners and Griswalds for camping. I currently cook with a #3 WAPAK, #5 Griswald, #6 Wagner, #7 Wagner nickle plated w/smoke ring, #8 Iron Mountain series (griswald) and a #10 Biringham S & R (some have been handed down for generations) AGAIN, love the video, very enjoyable. And congratulations on your find :)
Thank you for your comments. As to the rarity of my skillet, yes, it is definitely more rare than a Griswold Erie skillet. This one is a pre Griswold ERIE skillet with star (series 2) which is definitely much more rare than Griswold per se. I just put in eBay's search bar to see what would come up. There were 13 results with those key words in that order. Of those 13 listings, 5 of them had GRISWOLD large block or large slant block logo on the bottom. The remaining skillets were various series of Pre Griswold Erie skillets - meaning the word GRISWOLD was not found on any of them. There was one that appeared to be a series II (more primitive and made between 1870 and 1888). Trust me, I've done the research and the one I have is very rare. I would love to know what words you searched under exactly, because I will indeed try that. As to grinding marks, as long as it isn't a collectible piece which mine isn't, it is no big deal. I am going to sell it as a restored cooker for fair market value. No issue there. The Taiwan skillet is not collectible, but I bought it because it was so cheap and it is a fantastic cooker. I wouldn't refer to it as junk from the standpoint of being a good cooker, but it certainly isn't collectible. There is a difference. Let's just say I wouldn't be on the hunt for anything made in Taiwan that's for sure. There are actually some antique vendors that have an unmarked 3 notch #3 Taiwan skillet marked as a vintage Lodge when it most clearly isn't either from the partially visible font on the back and the different handle design. For many, it is hard to see made in Taiwan because they are selling them before they have been stripped. I mostly agree with your restoration techniques, although I would rather use a lye bath vs oven cleaner (they are both 100% lye) because you can do more than one skillet at a time in a lye bath and it lasts for up to a year or more - much more economical than using the spray which might get you through 1-2 skillets depending on how bad they are! Anyway, I appreciate your commentary and I mean no disrespect, but no one knows absolutely everything which would include the both of us! lol
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I put "ERIE" cast iron skillet" in the search. So not all were #8s And no, I don't consider myself an expert.. I can recognize different types and ages, but not at all knowing markings of early or late. And the early "ERIE" griswald is one I know the least about, except I know I can't afford one.. lol. Maybe I'll get lucky someday like you did. I know that an "ERIE" in good condition is hard to find. For some reason most of them have a large rusted/pitted area in the bottom center, more than other brands. I tend to clean one skillet at a time, and enjoy the hard work. It kind of connects me to the skillet more I think. But your way is definitely more time and cost effective. It's been nice talking with you, and I'm very happy for you on your find.
Jim Meyer Thank you Jim! I will try that search as it will help me discover the market on them - what’s available and what they are selling for etc. I hear you on the oven cleaner method. There’s no better feeling in the world as you scrub that skillet clean. Maybe I’m weird, but I think a skillet I’ve restored is a work of art. I love to admire them. I would imagine you do too! lol. ;-). Anyway, it was nice chatting with you as well.
Interesting find you have. You have one of the last pieces that Wagner did with the dual logos after buying Griswold in 1957. The piece was more than likely made in the early 1960s as it had the dual logos. Those pieces are harder to find because not as many were made with the dual logos. They date to the early to mid 60s when they were eventually phased out. An old wives tale states that Griswold sued the company then making the dual logo pieces (Randall Corp had acquired both companies) and was making these pieces which was why they stopped making them. I couldn't verify this, although it might have happened. That said, I just picked up a dual logo cast iron Dutch Oven with dual logo, but instead of the glass lid, my lid is an Iron Mountain Series #1037 which is an unmarked Griswold. I am not sure if my set came that way, but they were typically produced with the glass lids as my blue book on Griswold states. Nice find!
Thank you Judson! Wapak isn't too bad either, especially if it's in good condition and marked. Even unmarked can sell. I had a #8 unmarked Vollrath which I thought was an early Griswold, but it still turned out to be valuable and looked fantastic after I was done. I am just hoping this one cleans up well! lol
Jim Meyer I've only found one or two and they were pricey because it was at an antique mall! I put WAPAK into the same category as ERIE. You can add Vollrath and VICTOR to the mix as well. Actually, VICTOR is a brand of Griswold, I think they made them for department stores, but I would need to look that one up again. Speaking of light weight, this ERIE is probably the lightest skillet that I own. I couldn't get over how light it is! lol
Yep, that's correct. These unmarked pans could then be sold in discount stores such as Montgomery Wards, Woolworths, and the like. Thanks for watching!
I am going to agree with Rigo, the #8 Erie is not rare at all, also BSR and smooth bottom unmarked Wagners/marked Wagners are very plentiful in this area. May i suggest the construction of an electrolysis tank, the etank eliminates rust, carbon, paint etc. all in one and is non toxic. Just do a RUclips search on how to videos. It makes restoration easy peasy. I live just South of Erie and have collected iron in the area for quite some time.
Spray oven cleaner, rubber gloves, scotch-brite pad, let soak, apply elbow grease..lol. (several times) They come out great.. AND it doesn't remove the seasoning.
I've thought about it, but at the time, don't have the extra space it would require. You must have proper ventilation to assure safety. For now my lye bath and vinegar soak has done a thorough job with a bit of patience. Again as to rarity, please see my reply to Rigo. As you state, it all depends on where you live and hunt. What may be rare to people in my area may not be rare to you. Also, I never said unmarked Wagners were rare as a class, only the larger skillets from #10 on for any manufacturer. Thanks for watching.
Jim Meyer spray oven cleaner is lye and does remove the seasoning and strips right down to beautiful bare iron, i used to use that method many moons ago.
@@bruceclark1603 You're right. Just checked my can of "Easy Off" oven cleaner, it's the first ingredient.. But I've never had it remove the deep seasoning ? But I might try your method... Thanks.
Thanks louie! I couldn't believe it when I found it back in a corner of the range top. Discarded and unloved until I came by! lol I discovered these valuable skillets when in Erie PA in July, but couldn't afford to buy one that was redone. There are 6-8 series of early Erie Griswold skillets and this one happens to be a Series 2 made from about 1870 - 1890. It is extremely light as well, so it will never see my self clean oven! Have a great weekend yourself! :-)
I have the same skillet but without the star,... Everything else is the same & I did not know what it was until I cleaned it up & found the "Erie" name in quotations,... Any idea what vintage mine is ? Mine is ever so slightly bowed upward in the center (not a spinner).
Yours is probably the same series as mine. Mine sits flat too but is slightly bowed up in the middle. I think that is due to its being extremely thin and lightweight making it more suspectible to bowing due to the heat used over the years. See this web site. www.castironcollector.com/erie.php
LOL! No, I haven't actually, but I do believe you are correct! All kidding aside, I use SOS pads loaded with soap and they do take off the softened old seasoning after soaking in vinegar. Dish soap just makes my hands feel good. ;-)
I've got a small pot with a lid and out at the end of the handle is wood says made in twain came from my grand mother can you tell me more on these twain made cast iron
I don’t know much about a Twain and or ones from Taiwan if that’s what you meant. I have 1 small skillet from Taiwan and it is a fantastic cooker. That’s all I know.
Great haul! I have a question if you don’t mind. I have an antique aluminum roaster that has small dimples in the cast. Badly imbedded with brown grease. What could o use to clean it? Thanks
Well, you never want to use vinegar with aluminum as it will eat right through it. Try this - soak it in hot water with blue Dawn dish detergent to soften it up and leave it there for a half a day or over night. After you remove it, try using a non-abrasive Scotch Brite pad and scrub some more with dish soap. Then try to use Bar Keeper's Friend on it as that works wonderfully on items like the copper clad Revere Ware pieces I have cleaned up when they are almost fully black on the bottom. You can buy Bar Keeper's Friend at Home Depot or Walmart. Home Depot has the powered form AND the liquid form. Either work and I have used both. Thanks for watching and good luck!
Cast iron skillet s on eBay is way too high . I picked up a Griswold 8 for $20 . There is very little cast iron skillet in my town. There is a lot of newer Lodge
It just depends on what you are looking for. Most of the cast iron on eBay is restored and the sellers rightfully charge for their time, skills, and supplies and restoring this old iron and bringing it back to life. Buyers will pay good money to have a piece of history that is restored to almost new condition. What makes it extra expensive is the shipping. I've purchase many pieces recently myself to restore either to resell or to add to my collection. If you are looking for old cruddy stuff to restore, then your best bet is a flea market, antique mall, or an estate sale. Unfortunately with the lock downs of COVID-19, these methods are unrealistic until stores start to open up and sales start up again. That said, this piece was a steal. I paid $12 for it last fall and it is now easily worth about $200-250 in restored condition. I am holding on to it, as it is fun to have such an old piece in great condition. Thanks for watching.
No, actually, that was one of the finishes that Wagner offered its buyers back in the day (I researched that one a while ago). The circular finish is too even to have been done by some dude with a wire wheel at home. It would never look symmetrical like that. I ended up selling that skillet, but when you would look at it a from a certain vantage point, you could see a pattern in the swirls. It was very cool. Hope this helps.
Thank you and yes, it appears that I did! The time will tell when I pull it out of the lye bath where it is right now. It is both exciting and scary in hopes that I have a nice skillet without flaws!
Once the piece has been restored, I might be tempted to hang onto it. I still have a #10 Large Logo Slant Griswold skillet that I bought for $45 back in 2017 and is worth now about $200-250 or so. I have never used it after I restored it! lol
You add lye crystals to water and make a lye bath and soak your skillet in that or you can use Heavy Duty Easy Off Oven Cleaner (yellow can) and spray down your skillet, wrap it in a dark bag and let it sit for at least 24 hours and see how it looks. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO THIS WITHOUT WATCHING A FEW VIDEOS ON YT BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS AT HOME. There are important details I left out and am not going to go into here.
I'm hoping that just a soak in lye with a rinse in vinegar and a little elbow grease is all that is needed. Sanding anything that has collector value will most surely decrease it's value according to collectors. That said, I will sand non collectible skillets if I feel the surface is too rough.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 the ones I'm talking about is ones you want to keep and use for cooking that make that surface smooth once you season them where that be good cooking skillets !! I'm more about cooking with them not saving them as a collectible !! I have my mother skillets that was given to her by my grandmother my mother has passed on now I have them.
Yeah, I hear ya! I took a couple of Lodges and got a 4" Avanti Pro Disc, attached it to my electric drill and went to town getting my smooth surface. I don't have a sander, so my electric drill served the purpose.
That’s the best way to kill any collector value. You don’t sound like a true collector, but a user.If you want to wire wheel pans, do it on ones from Taiwan but never Griswold or Erie.
Thanks Pops! The funny thing was that the skillets I went to get were WAY overpriced! I showed up 2 hours early just to have the first chance to buy them. They had 4 - a #3 large logo Griswold at $35, another unmarked #3 at $20, then two unmarked and unremarkable #8 & #12 (I think they were Wagners) skillets at $25 each. NOT! I was very disappointed, but continued to look around the house for whatever I could find. It was a hoarders sale. I got lucky and found these two skillets in the back corner of the stove top in the kitchen. It was very obvious the lady running things didn't know it was a Griswold! I guess the moral of the story is to continue to look even if you think you missed out on items you thought you wanted! lol I went to a sale earlier in the year like this one and ended up with even better stuff and made more than 10X what I spent at the sale. I am sure you do this all the time, but I was excited! lol
@@ladylibertystacker2014 Yes, on Friday October 11 I bought a 14K 14.7 gram yellow gold necklace chain at a garage sale. $400 melt value. Paid .50 cents. LOL But finds like that are pretty few and far between.
We use an unmarked Erie #9 as a daily user. In my opinion that was one of the better skillets ever produced and that includes what is considered premium cast iron today. I also found a gatemark Erie at an estate sale. It was crusty and you couldn't read Erie until it came out of electrolysis so I paid like $10. There was just one small problem, Erie didn't produce gatemark pieces. I also have a gatemark bread pan with Erie numbers on it, again fake. I have a section of my collection dedicated to fakes. Griswold has their share or reproductions as well. The Walpak skillets are good because they copied Erie. Some Walpak skillets have a ghostmark Erie at the top. I really gotta get a life. Hearing me say this stuff is disturbing.
Red mountain Series only has association with BS&R, not pre-Griswold ERIE made in the late 1800s. BSR Red Mountain Series was made from the 1930s - 1940s. Hope this helps.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I was referring to the bsr it's a red mountain series. I think in video the size is 5r. Birmingham stove and range made red mountain series (older) and century series(newer).
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I do love your erie as well! I have a 3rd series and I absolutely love cooking with it.... Wish mine had the star makers mark like to yours.
Ah, I now remember this video had a BSR skillet as well! As to the Red Mountain Series, I had not heard that tidbit before. I will have to check that out. Thanks for sharing.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 The Atlanta Stove Works company was founded in 1889 (originally named Georgia Stove Company) to produce cast iron stoves. Their original location was on Krog Street, home of the famous and long-lasting Krog Street Market. Initially, their business boomed to the point where in 1902, a separate foundry was built in Birmingham, Alabama especially for the production of hollow ware and cast iron cookware to supplement their stoves. This separate foundry was named Birmingham Stove & Range. Many of the original records from Atlanta Stove Works have been lost, especially because the original factory burned down in 1915 and was re-built. It is known that the first series of Birmingham Stove & Range cast iron pans, the Red Mountain series, was introduced in the year 1930. This name was based upon the geographic area around Birmingham, Alabama, known as the Red Mountain area - an area so rich in iron ore, the rock faces have a reddish tinge from the hematite iron ore present in the landscape. In addition to stoves, Atlanta Stove Works also produced a barbecue grill stand named the Atlanta Stove Works Cue-Cart, which is legendary among barbecue afficionadoes. I just copied this offline not mine just passing along the information 😅
First of all, the only chemical used here is lye which does nothing but break down the deposits on top, not the underlying metal. Second, vinegar is a perfectly safe household cleanser that actually neutralizes the lye. This method is approved within the cast iron collectors community so no worries. On the other hand, a self clean oven could cause permanent heat damage such as warping on a piece like this because it is so old with extremely thin walls, not to mention the wear and tear on your oven from using it this way. That said, I've used a self clean oven thicker new pieces that needed a little extra help, but only when absolutely necessary.
Yeah, I know right? lol Since I retired, I don't stack as much of the small tiny metal compared to the big black metal! I kind of evolved with the times and my own situation!
I certainly do, but no where near what the biggest cast iron channels have! I am thinking of buying a rack in which to store them because I have pieces sitting out in the kitchen and dining room now, not to mention my online inventory storage area! lol
Cast iron skillets are way way over priced on eBay. Definitely know what you're looking at or you can get burned. No joke intended. But that last one is a cool skillet. There is a guy online I have seen that knows a ton about cast iron skillets. Can't remember his channel.
In some cases yes and other cases no. Sellers that are charging a high premium on vintage cast iron that has NOT been restored is a waste of money. Sellers that are charging those same high premiums for skillets that have been restored are justified because of their time in sourcing, stripping, cleaning, seasoning, supplies, and energy costs that go into restoring a skillet. If I didn't know how to do it myself and was a collector of cast iron, I would be happy to pay it if the process was done correctly. The advantage to me is that I have a nice collectible piece of usable cookware that will hold its value and I in turn could resell it in the future if need be. What could be better than that? The only thing is if you can do it yourself like I do! Thanks for watching.
I would never even think about that on a collectible piece like this one. It is probably worth about $225-250 in its restored condition. I wouldn't know for sure because it is staying in my collection!
You need to go back and watch my maintenance and care videos where I address this subject. That said, there are 2 situations when you can without issue. The first situation is an older well seasoned skillet with many baked on layers of seasoning which can take a little soap without removing any of the seasoning. The second situation is when restoring pieces soap is very helpful in removing old crud and seasoning. Hope this helps.
I love hearing that old wives tale, all my pans are cast,all have years of seasoning on them, all get washed with soap when appropriate. Soap cannot remove mature seasoning, the old seasoning becomes polymerized and cannot wash off. That being said they all get an oil wipe before being putting away. Love hearing about old pans.
@Ted McCauley You're right about soap not taking off old seasoning. Most of my pans are not years old with layers and layers of seasoning, so I try and avoid soap when cleaning up after a meal. I finish drying on the stove and do a mini seasoning. All germs are gone and I can build my seasoning that way.
This was a painful reminder of the Erie no. 10 skillet i managed to break. It was in magnificent condition, really pristine. Knocked it off the counter and it shattered. Deep thin walls, a heat ring, no visible defects. Great cooker. Now just a memory
Oh no! That truly is painful so to speak!
Oh my gosh that last pan the one with the word Erie on it is just like the one I have. I’ve never known much about it other than it belonged to my grandmother‘s grandmother who got it in the late 1800s. She used it every day of her life and when she died she left it to my grandmother. She used it for 60 years until I married and she gave it to me. In addition to that I have a carbon steel frying pan that I got from my grandmother that she received as a wedding gift in 1928. I only ever saw my grandmother cook with those two pans and they are both coal black. Those two pans along with a large 12 inch chicken fryer with lid that my mother-in-law gave me on my wedding 40 years ago are the only pans I have ever used. something You might find funny, all my married life I wanted an all clad skillet because I had heard how wonderful they are. A few years back I got one and everything stuck to it. It didn’t matter what kind of oil I used or what temperature I used it at everything stuck. That pan is now in the bottom of a drawer while my three old faithful’s are sitting on top of my stove right now. Thank you and best wishes. MM
That is just awesome Margaret! You have some valuable pans there monetarily, but most importantly sentimental value that no $ can replace. I can see why you would want these on your stove to use everyday. I was very lucky to have found the ERIE Pre-Griswold. The estate sale company had no idea what it was or how valuable it was and I paid only $12 for it. When I saw ERIE on it, I knew I had hit the jackpot! lol This one sells for $200+ online and probably in person as it is the 2nd series (Star mark) of pre-Griswold Erie skillets. I just can't bear to sell it, but still haven't used it! lol Anyway, thanks for watching. Best wishes to you as well. 😊
Wow! I was really liking the Red Mountain #3 and still do but when I saw the Erie, my jaw dropped. Super awesome!!!
Thanks CIC! I know right? I was so disappointed that the initial skillets were over priced and the #12 that I had my eye on was both an unmarked Wagner that was a spinner (ugh) which they wanted $25! It pays to know your cast iron. Apparently these people only know "GRISWOLD" not ERIE which is actually early GRISWOLD which I am sure you already know! lol Anyway, it felt great to pull one over on them assuming it cleans up without major flaws. For $12 I was willing to take a chance.
You're looking for the Red Mountains marked with an "S" for small. They're much more rare and worth $$. I scored on a 3S the other day -- second time I'd been to the shop, but with newfound knowledge!
@@madmax875
Are you referring to the unmarked Griswold "Iron Mountain" series from the 40's with the distinct handles?
I re seasoned many skillets with that crud on them. Got out my cheap BBQ with lid. Got it up to 400-500f put them in when its cool, take them out brush them off, your done. All crud gone, start seasoning in the same grill.
My mom cooked on a HUGE cast iron skillet. It was smooth as glass. You could cook an egg on it and came up with no sticking to the pan. Unfortunately my brother got it. But it's very heavy so I'm fine with it. Lol. He also got the little 6 incher I'm sure my mom bought them together. I have no idea what brand they are but it was purchased in the 40s. When she was a new bride. It cooked the best fried chicken. She seasoned it every year. Love your channel ❤
Thank you Rita! I am working on a video now, but it's been so cold in my area, I haven't found much new cast iron to clean, so I am working on redoing a couple of cheap skillets I already have! Your brother is lucky - large cast iron skillets are more and more difficult to find, especially in good condition!
Wow, great found and nice collection! Thumbs up my dear
Thanks & glad you enjoyed seeing my new purchases!
Great video! My wife and I love cooking with cast iron. We also have an old ERIE 9” skillet which was handed down to us and with some research we figure that it is a “Third series” which dates somewhere between 1892-1905. We still cook with it often. If you take care of the cast iron’s then they will last a lifetime.
Thank you Tim for stopping by, watching and for commenting! People have commented that these Erie skillets are not rare, but from most of the comments and from my own research they seem quite rare or at least not common at all! I've found bean pots with gate marks all over the place, but this is the first antique skillet I've ever held made in the late 1800s. I couldn't get over how light it is! I'm happy to hear you've had yours for a long time and use it often. I will be tempted to keep mine unless I find another to sell! If only skillets could talk! lol
@@ladylibertystacker2014QQ2kccjaq1ancV
I think I’d pass out if I found one of the old Erie skillets. Like a lottery win. Congratulations.
That's just about what I did Kevin! I couldn't believe that the estate sale company missed this one, especially after that small Griswold they had priced at $35! A lot of estate sale people can't possibly know everything and that applies to thrift stores as well. Some things they just miss. The other day I found some hand made Italian shoes (Di Blanco) that sell new for MSRP at $700-1000 and I found some excellent condition used ones for $15! There were 4 pairs and I bought the best two. The next day I stopped in and the other pairs were gone. I laugh when they have cheaper new men's shoes priced at $25-30 (think Dexter and Bush Nunn etc). So whatever you're into cast iron and whatever else, you will find some treasures others miss especially when you're not even looking! Anyway, thank you! Sorry for the novel! lol
I have an old Erie, would love to know more about it. Came from my grandmother who passed it down to her daughter and landed up with a cousin of mine. She was going to dispose of it so I said I would take it. Didn't know what I was given till much later.
Ah, that is the best kind of a gift. Not only is it a valuable skillet, but it is more meaningful that it came from your Grandma!
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I need to clean it up, but a little intimidated. Any chance i could send you photos and you could tell me a little more about it?
What a great score on the Erie!!!
Congratulations
Thank you! I was excited to discover this pan in the corner of the kitchen seemingly neglected! Thankfully it cleaned up really well and has become a member of my collection. :-)
Sounds like another nice one for the collection. Congrats on finding that one.
Thanks SS! Another one for eBay or for the collection if I can't bear to part with it! lol
I think you can grind down that spin.
I am pleased with vinegar bath...don't know about lye...it takes forever...
I'm surprised you didn't barter on those high prices...good luck!
I am not sure where in the video you are talking or what pan you mean. What I can tell you is that I would never ever use a wire wheel or brush on an antique like this ERIE. That would totally destroy the value and integrity of the pan. I am doing one now that has wire wheel marks and it is disgusting. Someone either didn't know what they were doing and/or used the wrong tools to clean up the pan. Lye bath and vinegar soaks can work fairly fast if they are strong and you are willing to scrub in between soakings. Works wonders without a drill!
During thsi quarantine i've been slowly groing through your videos and enjoying every one of them. Very informative and for once I like to hear a female voice behind cast iron! Needless to say, I subscribed.
Glad you like them and thanks for subscribing! You will keep yourself busy just getting through my long play list! Stay tuned as I continue to upload new videos as I have a chance to make them. 😊
When i find an old cast iron skillet I just throw in our kitchen oven and run it through the self cleaning mod….does a great job…lust remember to shut off your smoke detectors….I,ve over 60 cast iron in my collection….
I would never ever put a vintage skillet with thin side walls into a self clean oven. That is a really good way to warp a pan or cause heat damage. If you it non collectible and something like a unmarked Wagner or BS&R, and covered in crud, then have at it! The thicker walls of the pan should help to prevent warpage. Proceed with caution. Let's agree to disagree. Thanks for watching.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I haven't warped one yet...agree to disagree...have a good year stay safe....
I don't usually look at CI videos on YT, but this one came up on my feed and I was intrigued to see what the finds were. After watching and reading the comments, I'd like to add a couple of observations if I may, and promise I won't make it a habit. The BSR #5 is from their early automation period, early 1950s, as evidenced by the small pour spouts and neatness of the font. It could have been sold as either a Red Mountain or. Century. It is correct to say the marks inside the Wagners are not milling marks, that's another process, but they are polish grinding marks from the factory, not from some ill-advised cleaning technique. I'd say more people call them heat rings than smoke rings, but neither is incorrect. The rings served variously as levelers for bottom gated or less-than-level bottomed pans, as centering/sealing rings over woodstove eyes, and in certain situations to help alleviate hot spots. The Erie should have only one maker's mark, the star. The other thing near the size number is likely just a casting anomaly. The Ws on the unmarked Wagner are pattern identifiers, and shouldn't be inferred to stand for Wagner, it's only coincidence in this case. Hope that's helpful.
Thanks for the clarification! I love that site by the same name as your YT name and glad you stopped by to watch my video! I did have a Wagner once with only part of the W showing up, otherwise, it would have been an unmarked Wagner. In this instance it was a ghost pan! That pan had the polish grinding marks inside the skillet which had a very cool look to it. Upon doing to research, I discovered that Wagner offered several different finishes on the skillets one of which was the polish grinding circular marks and another finish was smooth. So many people don't realize that. Needless to say, that skillet was a bit of a spinner and a #8, but it sold right away after listing it online. As to the W's on the unmarked Wagner, I thought that was referring to the shift or person making the skillet. Pattern makes sense though. Anyway, I appreciate your thoughtful comments. It is amazing how you can help to educate us and the content creator without being nasty or hateful. For that, I really appreciate you! Have a Blessed day. LLS
@@ladylibertystacker2014 One of my most interesting unmarked pans has the Wagner pie logo ghost. I know the Red Book notes that Wagner finishes included "Polished, Extra Finished, Delux", but it seems those are merely terms Wagner used variously in ads and literature to tout their quality, rather than to denote multiple finish offerings. (Much the same as Griswold used the term "Extra Finished Ware" to differentiate their quality from that of competitors. Even gem and muffin pans which were impossible to polish grind were so-described in their catalogs.) Wagner catalogs never spoke of any choice of finishes (other than plated), however, it is not impossible that a wholesale customer may have requested and been offered unmarked pans unpolished. It was not until Wagner's later ownership did away with polish grinding altogether that one would see unfinished pans with the TM. Pans with the spiral grinding marks vs. completely smooth could be chalked up to polish grinder heads nearing end-of-duty life or management considering that less-than-completely smooth level of polish to be adequate. Both BSR and Lodge, however, did offer multiple finish levels concurrently, and which I talk about here: www.castironcollector.com/finishing.php.
Before I started watching your videos on Cast Iron I never realized how collectable the were. When time permits I'll have to do some research on what I have.
Yes, some of them are very collectible and some of them aren't. Here is the best resource I have used to date which will give you a head start. www.castironcollector.com
There is a section on how to identify cast iron which is NOT collectible as well because you will run into it if you are on the hunt, or you might have those items in your own collection. That said, as long as they are in decent shape they can still make excellent cookers as you well know. I just tried out my #2 (really a #3) skillet made in Taiwan and it did a superb job. No black icky stuff on my fried egg which I used to make an Egg McMuffin! lol
Nice finds. It's been my (limited) experience that a lot of the Taiwan cast iron pans are really quite good.
Thank you! I just made an "Egg McMuffin" this morning on it again and it does a fantastic job. It's been my go to pan for small individual breakfast sandwiches since I finished it! lol
I found my Cast iron Skillets at a property I was cleaning up, they were outside....in terrible shape.
I was going to throw them away but I remembered seeing one at Wal-Mart for $50 11"er....So I took them home cleaned them up....10yrs later I use them every day.
Now, that was very smart of you to do that. Most people would have seen that rusty stack and passed it up because they didn't want to mess witgh cleaning them up! Score! :-D
I have a Early 1910 National 8c made by Wagner cast iron skillet, it's rare in good condition, and a Small 3 wapak cast iron skillet.
I love when I find Wapaks because I don't see them everyday or actually very much at all!
Enjoying your channel very much. Question; When you prepare your Lye bath, what Lye to water ratio do you use? I have several pieces with that "baked" on crud I want to get rid of.
Thanks again.
Stan
Thank you Harrison. Here is the ratio - 5 gallons of water to every pound (16 oz) of pure lye crystals in that order. I needed to add more lye to my tank when doing a haul of skillets that I sourced over Labor Day weekend so I added 2.5 gallons of additional water plus a cup (8 oz) of lye crystals. You just need enough to cover all of the skillets you have in there at one time! NEVER add the lye first, then the water or things may combust on you. It's always WATER FIRST, then the LYE! I hope this helps.
I used oven cleaner on my pan put inside a 13 gal trash bag for two days. Resprayed it twice during those two days. Most of crud came off. Scrubbed with steel wool followed by soak for a day in apple cider vinegar. It’s beautiful and used twice a week. Andreson heart shaped waffle iron 1899
Yep, that's the way you can do it as well. The only difference between a lye bath and Heavy Duty Easy Off Oven Cleaner is the set up and expenses. They both are pure lye and essentially do the same thing. I bet you love that waffle iron. That one is pretty hard to find and is very collectible! :-)
I have a #8 skillet similar to your rare piece except no Erie name only a raised 8E just above the handleinside the heat ri g could it be the same?
It's possible. You could Google unmarked unmarked pre-Griswold Erie skillets to see what you find. First, Google all sites, then just images. Good luck!
It's Post 1880 Because it Don't Have a Gate Mark...I Would Date it 1880 -1900
Yep, you're probably right! Late 1880s would be my guess without looking it up from Griswold/ERIE historical info. It's a keeper for me for sure! Thanks for watching!
That Erie is called a Fancy Chef's pan. Your high end restaurant's got them. Griswold is my family.😉
Really? I got it to sell it, but now can't part with it. It is such a beautiful pan. My question is, if it is a chef's pan the walls should be more rounded, should they not? If you can supply some information that would be appreciated. Everything I have seen on the Erie Pre-Griswold Series #1-6, I have never seen anything about a Fancy Chef's pan.
My dad gave me his mothers cast iron recently. Some were poorly stored and rusted badly one of the skillets was pitted along the left hand side. It's still very much usable.
#10 BS&R Red Mountain. It's the one with the pits.
# 10 unmarked Wagner
#9 It's unmarked but after research "possible Blacklock"
2x #8 BS&R Red Mountain
#8 Crescent Fdy Co Ozark
3x #6 early 3-notch Lodge
2x #8 early Lodge dutch ovens
#10 "ERIE" dutch oven.
I've never seen any Griswold pieces in the wild much less an ERIE. So hopefully that skillet cleans up very well. Also I know a fair few people won't look at foreign cast iron. But it's cheap, it cooks extremely well and you don't have to worry about it as much. I have a some from Taiwan and Korea that are excellent cookers.
Wow, that is certainly a handful, oops, armful of cast iron you have there! The BS&Rs & early 3 notch Lodges are definitely collectible in good condition not to mention they good cookers as well. I've never seen a Blacklock anywhere so that would be something if you actually have one. I would contact someone at Lodge to see if anyone there might know. Your ERIE dutch oven sounds wonderful. I would definitely keep that one if it cleans up well. Do you make videos? Those restorations would be entertaining to watch! Thanks for stopping by and commenting - much appreciated!
Unfortunately I don't have the means to make videos. I had managed to restore the dutch ovens and a couple of the skillets. My electrolysis setup went the way of the dodo and I haven't had the time to make another.
That ERIE is. It's thin, yet glass smooth. I use it quite frequently. I realize it's considered a collectors piece, but it makes some of the best stews and chili's. I can't, not use it especially for the volume it holds.
It would be difficult indeed to find an Erie like that and keep a poker face. Good thing you didn't have to haggle!
It was obvious they (estate sale company) didn't know anything about cast iron because they charged me about as much for a BS&R! Not that BS&R is bad, but it is worth 1/15 - 1/20 of the value of an ERIE! lol
And you're right, it was work to keep that poker face!
Erie, skillets, it was very, imprecive, find,, and the wagners, numbers,8, and 10, ERIE, Star, .good find,
Thank you Victor! Just checked the #5 BS&R skillet that was purchased with the Erie star and they both are cleaning up pretty well. It's been 2 days in the lye bath and scrub downs each day with SOS pad and soap to get off the old carbon seasoning. I just stuck them back in for another round. The others are pretty much done! Glad you enjoyed seeing all of them. The find was quite accidental as I was picking through the kitchen and came across them. Needless to say, I did a quick test and grabbed both of these hidden treasures! :-)
I just subscribed to your channel I do collect and sale cast iron ware starting to downsize do you know how to identify wash pot makers
Thank you! In answer to your question, I can't say that I do. Sorry about that!
WOW! That Erie is amazing! I just found one as well for $1. It wasn't out for sale but asked if they had any cast iron and they pulled it out of a shed. I'm definitely keeping mine!
Thank you Kyle! I definitely didn’t expect to find this skillet in the corner of the kitchen after they took special care to photograph and show another pile of skillets in the ad! This is one of the earliest skillets made by Griswold and dates to about 1870-1880. There is a wavey line on the bottom of the skillet from the sand mold manufacturing process in use at the time that one could say is more primitive. I also have a Griswold #10 large block slant logo skillet that I might sell instead I never used after I restored it! Were you at a garage sale when you found your Erie? I’ve not had ANY luck with garage sales!
Love the video.. But, I must say #8 "ERIE'' is not that rare (currently 65 on eBay right now, but still a great find) Yours is in great shape too, and they go for hi dollar. The taiwan skillet is junk, not old just bad casting.. makes a nice candle holder or door stop though, lol. Fire damaged skillets CAN be re-seasoned (that's a myth) I think the best way to clean a skillet is with spray oven cleaner (let soak), rubber gloves, course scotch-brite pad and elbow grease (several applications) AND, it doesn't remove the seasoning that's deep inside. The ring on the bottom of some older skillets are called "smoke rings" not heat rings. They prevented smoke from escaping from the wood burning stove tops (I see this said a lot though) The one skillet you showed with what you called "mill marks" (circular groves on the inside bottom and on the pour spouts) Those are marks from a grinder, the previous owner did in an attempt to clean it (not good) Other than that one and the Taiwan skillet, the rest are beautiful. The BSR for $15 and the "ERIE" for $12 that's crazy good. Both are keepers for sure and perhaps users as well.. I use my unmarked Wagners and Griswalds for camping. I currently cook with a #3 WAPAK, #5 Griswald, #6 Wagner, #7 Wagner nickle plated w/smoke ring, #8 Iron Mountain series (griswald) and a #10 Biringham S & R (some have been handed down for generations) AGAIN, love the video, very enjoyable. And congratulations on your find :)
Thank you for your comments. As to the rarity of my skillet, yes, it is definitely more rare than a Griswold Erie skillet. This one is a pre Griswold ERIE skillet with star (series 2) which is definitely much more rare than Griswold per se. I just put in eBay's search bar to see what would come up. There were 13 results with those key words in that order. Of those 13 listings, 5 of them had GRISWOLD large block or large slant block logo on the bottom. The remaining skillets were various series of Pre Griswold Erie skillets - meaning the word GRISWOLD was not found on any of them. There was one that appeared to be a series II (more primitive and made between 1870 and 1888). Trust me, I've done the research and the one I have is very rare. I would love to know what words you searched under exactly, because I will indeed try that. As to grinding marks, as long as it isn't a collectible piece which mine isn't, it is no big deal. I am going to sell it as a restored cooker for fair market value. No issue there. The Taiwan skillet is not collectible, but I bought it because it was so cheap and it is a fantastic cooker. I wouldn't refer to it as junk from the standpoint of being a good cooker, but it certainly isn't collectible. There is a difference. Let's just say I wouldn't be on the hunt for anything made in Taiwan that's for sure. There are actually some antique vendors that have an unmarked 3 notch #3 Taiwan skillet marked as a vintage Lodge when it most clearly isn't either from the partially visible font on the back and the different handle design. For many, it is hard to see made in Taiwan because they are selling them before they have been stripped. I mostly agree with your restoration techniques, although I would rather use a lye bath vs oven cleaner (they are both 100% lye) because you can do more than one skillet at a time in a lye bath and it lasts for up to a year or more - much more economical than using the spray which might get you through 1-2 skillets depending on how bad they are! Anyway, I appreciate your commentary and I mean no disrespect, but no one knows absolutely everything which would include the both of us! lol
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I put "ERIE" cast iron skillet" in the search. So not all were #8s And no, I don't consider myself an expert.. I can recognize different types and ages, but not at all knowing markings of early or late. And the early "ERIE" griswald is one I know the least about, except I know I can't afford one.. lol. Maybe I'll get lucky someday like you did. I know that an "ERIE" in good condition is hard to find. For some reason most of them have a large rusted/pitted area in the bottom center, more than other brands. I tend to clean one skillet at a time, and enjoy the hard work. It kind of connects me to the skillet more I think. But your way is definitely more time and cost effective. It's been nice talking with you, and I'm very happy for you on your find.
Jim Meyer Thank you Jim! I will try that search as it will help me discover the market on them - what’s available and what they are selling for etc. I hear you on the oven cleaner method. There’s no better feeling in the world as you scrub that skillet clean. Maybe I’m weird, but I think a skillet I’ve restored is a work of art. I love to admire them. I would imagine you do too! lol. ;-). Anyway, it was nice chatting with you as well.
no those are milled . ain't nobody grinding by hand that perfect and uniform
@@jetrojackin3400 exactly what I was going to say
I inherited a cast iron dutch oven with a glass lid and marked wagner ware at the top and griswald in the center. what have I got here?
Interesting find you have. You have one of the last pieces that Wagner did with the dual logos after buying Griswold in 1957. The piece was more than likely made in the early 1960s as it had the dual logos. Those pieces are harder to find because not as many were made with the dual logos. They date to the early to mid 60s when they were eventually phased out. An old wives tale states that Griswold sued the company then making the dual logo pieces (Randall Corp had acquired both companies) and was making these pieces which was why they stopped making them. I couldn't verify this, although it might have happened. That said, I just picked up a dual logo cast iron Dutch Oven with dual logo, but instead of the glass lid, my lid is an Iron Mountain Series #1037 which is an unmarked Griswold. I am not sure if my set came that way, but they were typically produced with the glass lids as my blue book on Griswold states. Nice find!
@@ladylibertystacker2014 Hey thanks alot for the info this is good to know.
Jackpot! I picked up a super crudded up #8 the other day hoping it was an ERIE, but ended up being an early Wapak. What a wonderful find, congrats.
Thank you Judson! Wapak isn't too bad either, especially if it's in good condition and marked. Even unmarked can sell. I had a #8 unmarked Vollrath which I thought was an early Griswold, but it still turned out to be valuable and looked fantastic after I was done. I am just hoping this one cleans up well! lol
I'd be tickled to find a WAPAK.. more rare than "ERIE" and they're light weight, and cook better too.
Jim Meyer I've only found one or two and they were pricey because it was at an antique mall! I put WAPAK into the same category as ERIE. You can add Vollrath and VICTOR to the mix as well. Actually, VICTOR is a brand of Griswold, I think they made them for department stores, but I would need to look that one up again. Speaking of light weight, this ERIE is probably the lightest skillet that I own. I couldn't get over how light it is! lol
@Jim yes, Erie is super light weight. I feel the same as you on the weight, but boy is it nice to manage or it will be once I am done with mine! lol
Fantastic!
Thank you! :-)
I have an ERIE round griddle in really good shape
Aren't they the best? Mine of sooo light!
4:15 the pan with out Wagner is a Wagner (buttered over) they did this because they could sell them cheaper.
Yep, that's correct. These unmarked pans could then be sold in discount stores such as Montgomery Wards, Woolworths, and the like. Thanks for watching!
I am going to agree with Rigo, the #8 Erie is not rare at all, also BSR and smooth bottom unmarked Wagners/marked Wagners are very plentiful in this area.
May i suggest the construction of an electrolysis tank, the etank eliminates rust, carbon, paint etc. all in one and is non toxic. Just do a RUclips search on how to videos. It makes restoration easy peasy.
I live just South of Erie and have collected iron in the area for quite some time.
Spray oven cleaner, rubber gloves, scotch-brite pad, let soak, apply elbow grease..lol. (several times) They come out great.. AND it doesn't remove the seasoning.
I've thought about it, but at the time, don't have the extra space it would require. You must have proper ventilation to assure safety. For now my lye bath and vinegar soak has done a thorough job with a bit of patience. Again as to rarity, please see my reply to Rigo. As you state, it all depends on where you live and hunt. What may be rare to people in my area may not be rare to you. Also, I never said unmarked Wagners were rare as a class, only the larger skillets from #10 on for any manufacturer. Thanks for watching.
Jim Meyer spray oven cleaner is lye and does remove the seasoning and strips right down to beautiful bare iron, i used to use that method many moons ago.
@@bruceclark1603 You're right. Just checked my can of "Easy Off" oven cleaner, it's the first ingredient.. But I've never had it remove the deep seasoning ? But I might try your method... Thanks.
What a wonderful find. It’ll be hard not to sell something so valuable. I hope it cleans up perfectly for you. Have a great weekend, LL
Thanks louie! I couldn't believe it when I found it back in a corner of the range top. Discarded and unloved until I came by! lol I discovered these valuable skillets when in Erie PA in July, but couldn't afford to buy one that was redone. There are 6-8 series of early Erie Griswold skillets and this one happens to be a Series 2 made from about 1870 - 1890. It is extremely light as well, so it will never see my self clean oven! Have a great weekend yourself! :-)
I would keep that Erie skillet.
Believe me, I am tempted to, especially if it turns out well! Thanks for stopping by!
@@ladylibertystacker2014 Dr Dr see$
I have the same skillet but without the star,... Everything else is the same & I did not know what it was until I cleaned it up & found the "Erie" name in quotations,... Any idea what vintage mine is ?
Mine is ever so slightly bowed upward in the center (not a spinner).
Yours is probably the same series as mine. Mine sits flat too but is slightly bowed up in the middle. I think that is due to its being extremely thin and lightweight making it more suspectible to bowing due to the heat used over the years. See this web site. www.castironcollector.com/erie.php
@@ladylibertystacker2014
Thanks for the reply :) I have tried to flatten mine by heating it with a weight in the center but nothing changed.
@@davidlomm4424 Heat it up and use a C-clamp with a block of wood across the bottom.
Have you ever tried using dish soap to strip seasoning off? it doesn't work; soap is fine at any stage of the game.
LOL! No, I haven't actually, but I do believe you are correct! All kidding aside, I use SOS pads loaded with soap and they do take off the softened old seasoning after soaking in vinegar. Dish soap just makes my hands feel good. ;-)
I've got a small pot with a lid and out at the end of the handle is wood says made in twain came from my grand mother can you tell me more on these twain made cast iron
I don’t know much about a Twain and or ones from Taiwan if that’s what you meant. I have 1 small skillet from Taiwan and it is a fantastic cooker. That’s all I know.
Ur awesome ❤❤❤❤❤
Great haul!
I have a question if you don’t mind. I have an antique aluminum roaster that has small dimples in the cast.
Badly imbedded with brown grease. What could o use to clean it? Thanks
Well, you never want to use vinegar with aluminum as it will eat right through it. Try this - soak it in hot water with blue Dawn dish detergent to soften it up and leave it there for a half a day or over night. After you remove it, try using a non-abrasive Scotch Brite pad and scrub some more with dish soap. Then try to use Bar Keeper's Friend on it as that works wonderfully on items like the copper clad Revere Ware pieces I have cleaned up when they are almost fully black on the bottom. You can buy Bar Keeper's Friend at Home Depot or Walmart. Home Depot has the powered form AND the liquid form. Either work and I have used both. Thanks for watching and good luck!
LadyLibertyStacker thank you 😀
Cast iron skillet s on eBay is way too high . I picked up a Griswold 8 for $20 . There is very little cast iron skillet in my town. There is a lot of newer Lodge
It just depends on what you are looking for. Most of the cast iron on eBay is restored and the sellers rightfully charge for their time, skills, and supplies and restoring this old iron and bringing it back to life. Buyers will pay good money to have a piece of history that is restored to almost new condition. What makes it extra expensive is the shipping. I've purchase many pieces recently myself to restore either to resell or to add to my collection. If you are looking for old cruddy stuff to restore, then your best bet is a flea market, antique mall, or an estate sale. Unfortunately with the lock downs of COVID-19, these methods are unrealistic until stores start to open up and sales start up again. That said, this piece was a steal. I paid $12 for it last fall and it is now easily worth about $200-250 in restored condition. I am holding on to it, as it is fun to have such an old piece in great condition. Thanks for watching.
Very nice.
Thank you Mark!
That unmarked wagner with mill work .. someone took a wirewheel to it .. they didnt do that at the factory
Where in the video are you referring to?
About 4:40 the unmarked wagner
No, actually, that was one of the finishes that Wagner offered its buyers back in the day (I researched that one a while ago). The circular finish is too even to have been done by some dude with a wire wheel at home. It would never look symmetrical like that. I ended up selling that skillet, but when you would look at it a from a certain vantage point, you could see a pattern in the swirls. It was very cool. Hope this helps.
Where do you sale at?
I'm on eBay. If you want a link, please send email to ladylibertystacker@gmail.com. Thanks.
Congrats you scored BiG 😃
Thank you and yes, it appears that I did! The time will tell when I pull it out of the lye bath where it is right now. It is both exciting and scary in hopes that I have a nice skillet without flaws!
Looking forward to your restoration video or updates on this piece
Thomas LaGrange - I will be posting as soon as this comes out of the lye bath and through the rest of the process.
I’m betting you hang onto that pre-Griswold, and who could blame you?
Once the piece has been restored, I might be tempted to hang onto it. I still have a #10 Large Logo Slant Griswold skillet that I bought for $45 back in 2017 and is worth now about $200-250 or so. I have never used it after I restored it! lol
Why is so difficult to get a simple response from ebay
I think that last pan is a BSR not Wagner
If I remember correctly, you’re right. They wanted more for that pan than for the ERIE! lol
It’s Red mountain
Yep, I've since figured that one out, but thank you for your clarification for the benefit of current listeners! lol
Hola Miss LLS and everyone ♥️
Hello Mr LMNGYR!
How do you clean a skillet with lye?
You add lye crystals to water and make a lye bath and soak your skillet in that or you can use Heavy Duty Easy Off Oven Cleaner (yellow can) and spray down your skillet, wrap it in a dark bag and let it sit for at least 24 hours and see how it looks. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO THIS WITHOUT WATCHING A FEW VIDEOS ON YT BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS AT HOME. There are important details I left out and am not going to go into here.
80 grit orbital sander then 150 grit then 180 grit then season it up !!
I'm hoping that just a soak in lye with a rinse in vinegar and a little elbow grease is all that is needed. Sanding anything that has collector value will most surely decrease it's value according to collectors. That said, I will sand non collectible skillets if I feel the surface is too rough.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 the ones I'm talking about is ones you want to keep and use for cooking that make that surface smooth once you season them where that be good cooking skillets !! I'm more about cooking with them not saving them as a collectible !! I have my mother skillets that was given to her by my grandmother my mother has passed on now I have them.
Yeah, I hear ya! I took a couple of Lodges and got a 4" Avanti Pro Disc, attached it to my electric drill and went to town getting my smooth surface. I don't have a sander, so my electric drill served the purpose.
Do you have any Dutch ovens?
Yes, I have only one, an unmarked BS&R #8 with lid and bail handle. I found it at an estate sale and have restored it as well.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 Is the Dutch Oven for sale?
No, as it's the only one I have. Sorry about that.
O yea lady a drill with a round wire brush will clean them up quick
That’s the best way to kill any collector value. You don’t sound like a true collector, but a user.If you want to wire wheel pans, do it on ones from Taiwan but never Griswold or Erie.
Iron mountain series
In regards to what exactly?
Wow! I really like the Pre-Griswold ERIE! I have not found one like that. Good profit at sale too! Good Luck and God Bless!
Thanks Pops! The funny thing was that the skillets I went to get were WAY overpriced! I showed up 2 hours early just to have the first chance to buy them. They had 4 - a #3 large logo Griswold at $35, another unmarked #3 at $20, then two unmarked and unremarkable #8 & #12 (I think they were Wagners) skillets at $25 each. NOT! I was very disappointed, but continued to look around the house for whatever I could find. It was a hoarders sale. I got lucky and found these two skillets in the back corner of the stove top in the kitchen. It was very obvious the lady running things didn't know it was a Griswold! I guess the moral of the story is to continue to look even if you think you missed out on items you thought you wanted! lol I went to a sale earlier in the year like this one and ended up with even better stuff and made more than 10X what I spent at the sale. I am sure you do this all the time, but I was excited! lol
@@ladylibertystacker2014 Yes, on Friday October 11 I bought a 14K 14.7 gram yellow gold necklace chain at a garage sale. $400 melt value. Paid .50 cents. LOL But finds like that are pretty few and far between.
Nice
Thank you! I did a total restore on it and it remains in my collection to this very day! :-)
We use an unmarked Erie #9 as a daily user. In my opinion that was one of the better skillets ever produced and that includes what is considered premium cast iron today. I also found a gatemark Erie at an estate sale. It was crusty and you couldn't read Erie until it came out of electrolysis so I paid like $10. There was just one small problem, Erie didn't produce gatemark pieces. I also have a gatemark bread pan with Erie numbers on it, again fake. I have a section of my collection dedicated to fakes. Griswold has their share or reproductions as well. The Walpak skillets are good because they copied Erie. Some Walpak skillets have a ghostmark Erie at the top. I really gotta get a life. Hearing me say this stuff is disturbing.
I have the Wagner ware 0 number 1058
That would be a no. 8 or 10 inch based on the p/n of 1058.
Red mountain series due to the iron being mined from red mountain......
Red mountain Series only has association with BS&R, not pre-Griswold ERIE made in the late 1800s. BSR Red Mountain Series was made from the 1930s - 1940s. Hope this helps.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I was referring to the bsr it's a red mountain series. I think in video the size is 5r. Birmingham stove and range made red mountain series (older) and century series(newer).
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I do love your erie as well! I have a 3rd series and I absolutely love cooking with it.... Wish mine had the star makers mark like to yours.
Ah, I now remember this video had a BSR skillet as well! As to the Red Mountain Series, I had not heard that tidbit before. I will have to check that out. Thanks for sharing.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 The Atlanta Stove Works company was founded in 1889 (originally named Georgia Stove Company) to produce cast iron stoves. Their original location was on Krog Street, home of the famous and long-lasting Krog Street Market. Initially, their business boomed to the point where in 1902, a separate foundry was built in Birmingham, Alabama especially for the production of hollow ware and cast iron cookware to supplement their stoves. This separate foundry was named Birmingham Stove & Range.
Many of the original records from Atlanta Stove Works have been lost, especially because the original factory burned down in 1915 and was re-built. It is known that the first series of Birmingham Stove & Range cast iron pans, the Red Mountain series, was introduced in the year 1930. This name was based upon the geographic area around Birmingham, Alabama, known as the Red Mountain area - an area so rich in iron ore, the rock faces have a reddish tinge from the hematite iron ore present in the landscape.
In addition to stoves, Atlanta Stove Works also produced a barbecue grill stand named the Atlanta Stove Works Cue-Cart, which is legendary among barbecue afficionadoes. I just copied this offline not mine just passing along the information 😅
why use dangerous chemicals when self cleaning over works just fine?
First of all, the only chemical used here is lye which does nothing but break down the deposits on top, not the underlying metal. Second, vinegar is a perfectly safe household cleanser that actually neutralizes the lye. This method is approved within the cast iron collectors community so no worries. On the other hand, a self clean oven could cause permanent heat damage such as warping on a piece like this because it is so old with extremely thin walls, not to mention the wear and tear on your oven from using it this way. That said, I've used a self clean oven thicker new pieces that needed a little extra help, but only when absolutely necessary.
Congratulations!!!! I'm home so when you get a minute you can send my "cracked pot"! sMiles
You bet! I was just wondering about that hoping that not too much time would pass. I will ship it out today. Cheers!
Email sent with info!
You should change the name of your channel to “Libertads and Skillets” 😂
Yeah, I know right? lol Since I retired, I don't stack as much of the small tiny metal compared to the big black metal! I kind of evolved with the times and my own situation!
Score
Thanks!
Nice find!!! I'll give you $24 for it. Doubling your money...
Uhhhhhhhh.......NO! It its current condition, it's probably worth between $250-300 and these continue to increase in value! But thanks! 😁
You must have an awful lot of them by now LLS.
I certainly do, but no where near what the biggest cast iron channels have! I am thinking of buying a rack in which to store them because I have pieces sitting out in the kitchen and dining room now, not to mention my online inventory storage area! lol
Cast iron skillets are way way over priced on eBay. Definitely know what you're looking at or you can get burned. No joke intended. But that last one is a cool skillet. There is a guy online I have seen that knows a ton about cast iron skillets. Can't remember his channel.
In some cases yes and other cases no. Sellers that are charging a high premium on vintage cast iron that has NOT been restored is a waste of money. Sellers that are charging those same high premiums for skillets that have been restored are justified because of their time in sourcing, stripping, cleaning, seasoning, supplies, and energy costs that go into restoring a skillet. If I didn't know how to do it myself and was a collector of cast iron, I would be happy to pay it if the process was done correctly. The advantage to me is that I have a nice collectible piece of usable cookware that will hold its value and I in turn could resell it in the future if need be. What could be better than that? The only thing is if you can do it yourself like I do! Thanks for watching.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 agreed.
Try sand plasting
I would never even think about that on a collectible piece like this one. It is probably worth about $225-250 in its restored condition. I wouldn't know for sure because it is staying in my collection!
You Do not Use Soap on Cast Cast iron skillets
You need to go back and watch my maintenance and care videos where I address this subject. That said, there are 2 situations when you can without issue. The first situation is an older well seasoned skillet with many baked on layers of seasoning which can take a little soap without removing any of the seasoning. The second situation is when restoring pieces soap is very helpful in removing old crud and seasoning. Hope this helps.
I love hearing that old wives tale, all my pans are cast,all have years of seasoning on them, all get washed with soap when appropriate. Soap cannot remove mature seasoning, the old seasoning becomes polymerized and cannot wash off. That being said they all get an oil wipe before being putting away. Love hearing about old pans.
@Ted McCauley You're right about soap not taking off old seasoning. Most of my pans are not years old with layers and layers of seasoning, so I try and avoid soap when cleaning up after a meal. I finish drying on the stove and do a mini seasoning. All germs are gone and I can build my seasoning that way.