Gate Mark Spider

[FritzH]

Hey there everyone!

I'm new to this group and fairly new to cast iron though I've been cooking with it for some time. A collection landed in my lap through a family home that was passed to me. The home, built in 1720, held everything under the sun. Like nothing was ever thrown out. It was just pushed behind the knee-walls. So I got a couple dozen pieces and most of it is marked in some way, Griswold, Wagner etc. But there is this one piece that has no marking and I am very curious to learn more about it. From my research online I believe it is a spider type with a gate mark. I'd love to have any thoughts here from you about it. Age etc. Thank you!

 

[Doug D.]

Gate marked spider is about all that can be said about it. The legs tell us it pre-dates wood burning stoves. The older, mid-19th century and earlier pieces, if not marked, are rarely if ever identifiable as to maker.

 

[FritzH]

Hi Doug,

Thank you for sharing your observations about this pot. Much appreciated. Makes sense that there would be no way to identify the maker. Is there anything that could be determined at all from the design, shape or otherwise?

Thanks again!

 

[Doug D.]

There are resources that endeavor to categorize older, unknown maker pieces by era or region of manufacture according to various physical characteristics such as the (shape of) legs, handles, bail attachments, etc. Generally speaking, I think most would assume a piece like this to be ca. early 1800s.

 

[FritzH]

That's helpful Doug. Thank you.