Conservative Americana?

[Sharon Shuman]

Recently I had an interesting experience with Sidney/Wagner cast iron. Had my "Sidney" #8 skillet near the stove, and I put the lid from my Dutch oven on it while putting food in the DO. The DO is unmarked, hammered, and I think it's a Wagner piece from the 1930's, partly because it was my Mother-in-law's, and she was married in 1932. The point here, though, is that the DO lid fits the circa1900 skillet like it was made for it! Somebody in Ohio must have thought: "If it works, why change it?" Yet another reason I love American cast iron! (Probably would feel the same about the Canuck pieces, but I have yet to meet one personally.)

 

[Ty L.]

I bought an old gate marked three legged #8 cowboy kettle at a flea market yesterday. Fits my mid 20th century unmarked Griswold lid like they were made for each other. I love it when stuff just works.

 

[W. Hilditch]

Finding lids to fit right is a b _ _ _ h! It's luck. I swear only one in ten on eBay know how to measure correctly and then they get confused about inside rim, outside rim and OD. Just try to get a glass lid to fit your skillet and CI lids can be worse. Then try to match the vintage.

I've been lucky as 1 in 3 purchases have worked well for me, so with 25+ keeper lids, some with some crossovers, I'm covered between CI & glass.

If it fits right, kiss it.

Hilditch