Don't Show, Just Tell

1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?

Lodge #8 or #10 skillet. Ex-wife has it now.

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?

I have cooked with almost all of my pieces, basically. I'm more a user than collector, but I'm becoming both. You can't really use 50+ pieces regularly.

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?

Iron Mountain #5 is what made me consider collecting all of the Iron Mountain series.

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?

Unmarked Vollrath #12 or the Blankenship Combo cooker lid/skillet. Don't remember which I bought first.

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?

Iron Mountain cast aluminum Chicken Pan or Fanner #8 Waffle Iron and base. It took too long and was too hard to finish finding see. I'm also from Cleveland, sentimental.

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

A. Iron Mountain complete collection of all items made.

B. Griswold #11 & #13 skillets

C. Vintage German cake pan (Bundt) with swirled or unique design.
 
40 years ago I think it was a #10 Wagner
More of a user but really both
Griswold #8, and 2 Griswold waffle irons
Not sure yet but I think my #14 Griswold skillet
The 14 skillet "
If I’m remembering measurement correctly a 29” Griswold griddle, older the better CI, the spider would be cool
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned? My mom's old #10, possibly Wagner from the 50's.

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both? both

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting? I have picked up pieces here and there just because I liked them, so truly collecting has only recently begun.

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired? small logo Griswold #6 chicken fryer

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be? my mom's skillet mentioned above

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list". I'll have to think about that one and post back later.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

1) Wagner #8 Chicken Fryer 1088A
2) Both Love looking for them and bacon and eggs are killer with cast
3) After restoring the rust bucket in #1 I got hooked.
4) Griswold #8 Slant Large Logo, I actually have 2 now.
5) My recently acquired ERIE #8 skillet or my Wagner Arc logo High
6) Wagner #4,#6,#7 to complete my set.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

1. Unmarked #3 size skillet possibly made by Blackl@@ck. I don't remember how I acquired it, where it is now, or when I ever used it, but I am certain that it may be a Blackl@@ck (lol).
2. Both. I am a newbie collector, and I am a lousy cook who enjoys using my vintage CI.
3. Victor #7 Skillet P/N 721B with an upside down raised #7 on the handle. I like its low walls and light weight. I am partial to "misfits," my term for CI with casting errors, such as the Monday Morning Martin #3 Hamburger Logo Skillet and the Monday Morning Lodge Upside Down #3 Skillet, and the Wagner National misspelled "Natonal" P/N 1359C Skillet.
4. Wapak Chickenfoot #8 Skillet
5. Martin #9 Hamburger Logo Skillet. It's a nice size to make spaghetti sauce and chili.
6. Wagner National misspelled "Natonal" P/N 1359C Skillet, Victor #6 Skillet, Martin Bacon Fryer Skillet
 
I'll take a crack at this:

1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
Modern Lodge #8sk that's only 7 years old

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
I think both, as I'm hooked on acquiring pre-30's stuff, but will be using it actively.

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
A pair of pre-60's Wagner #3's

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
My Piqua Favorite Smiley #7

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
My Piqua Favorite Smiley #5

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list"
The following Piqua Favorite Smiley pieces - a DO, a round flat griddle and a chicken fryer and lid

Can you tell I'm a fan of Smileys? :p
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
In 1971 or 1972 at age 12-13…New purchase #10 Lodge Camp Oven… L10DCO3 for making Cobbler while camping.
2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
Originally a user, was in Boy Scouts for 35+years. But now probably both.
3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
Recently “found out” about 10 years ago I was given a Wapak #10 Indian Head, a Wagner Arc/straight #11, an unmarked #9, a Lodge 3 notch I think #9
4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
See above
5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
I need to get all my pieces together to make that decission
6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".
Don’t have a “list” yet.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
#8 3 notch Lodge I bought from Walmart (late '80s)
2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both? Both
3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
Found a Lodge Sportsmen #3052 oval fish fryer pan at the dump along with a unmarked slick as glass chicken fryer and a hammered Griswold lid that fits but they don't match.
4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
Bought a #8 gate marked griddle pan from some people on the side of the road in Alabama
5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
My first skillet I bought from Walmart.
6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".
Would love to find a nickel plated skillet.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?

Birmingham Stove & Range Red Mountain No. 3. Bought it at a neighborhood yard sale.

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?

Both, and a gift-giver. Skillets with about a 10 in. diameter with a little pedigree make fantastic and unusual wedding gifts.

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?

A Wagner No. 3, after learning that some of this stuff was collectible.

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?

BSR Red Mountain No. 7 that was in brand new condition (not an S).

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?

Lodge One Notch No. 10. Inherited from my grandfather.

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

A bottom-gated piece cast and sold in the Reconstruction Era south with a known "chain of custody" from brand new to present day.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

1. Lodge Combo Cooker (#8 Chicken Fryer with a skillet/lid)

2. Most definitely both! Love cooking with cast iron!

3. 3-notch Lodge #8 skillet, circa 1940s

4. Griswold #8 Big Block logo skillet

5. As of today, I'd keep my #10 Lodge skillet - that is until I get some larger collectible skillets. You can make a big or small meal all in one piece.

6. I'd love to have some of my great grandmother's old cast iron - she had a skillet and dutch oven that she used religiously. Unfortunately none of my family wanted it and it was also sold - I was too young then. Griswold #13 skillet.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?

A modern make of a lodge #10 (2017 or 2018)

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?

Both, kinda sluggish in the collecting as i like finding deals more than paying the going price for Griswolds

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?

An unmarked vollrath #3, I had a Lodge 3 notch and BSR Red Mountain, but i was mostly getting those to use.

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?

Got handed down a Lodge hammered dutch oven.

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?

It'd have to be that dutch oven mentioned in #4, I love my skillets and my new waffle iron, but i could still do so much with it, more than i could do with any skillet.

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

A. an old large footed camp oven, preferably one of the major brands. I want to camp with one, but i want one that's smooth.

B. I'd like as many single notch hammered Lodge pieces as I can get my hands on

C. Any of the large logos from Favorite like the sunrise logo on waffle irons or the Wapak Indian head

D. I want a matching Wapak and Oneta skillets and i want to see if the Oneta, being the economy version, might nest in the Wapak.
 
1. My first piece of cast iron? Lodge camp oven - purchased new and unseasoned 2003.

2. Am I a user, collector or both? Both although I am primarily a user. My go to right now (winter) is a Wagner Ware Sidney O that I use 2 - 3 times per week.

3. What piece did I acquire with an eye towards collecting?

A) I initially started to expand my collection of "working" CI, additional camp ovens. I wanted a collection of cast iron cookware for camping and outdoor cooking.

B) One day I picked up 3 vintage Wagner-Ware 9 skillets at a flea market with the intent to restore them and give them away as gifts. I still have 1 of them one of which is my current go-to. I paid between $10 and $15 each for them. It must have been cheap cast iron day at the flea market. Now everyone thinks that their rusty cast iron pans are worth a fortune.

4. What is my most collectible piece?

The most truly collectible piece is a Griswold italics griddle that my Great Grandmother used on her wood stove. I have another Wagner National skillet that is apparently collectible. It was handed down also. It might be the oldest piece.

5. If I were to give up my collection which one would I keep?

The griddle that came from my Great Grandmother. That one will be handed down as a family heirloom.

6. What 3 are my holy grail or bucket list?

Because I am primarily a user . . .
A) The Griswold large cross block that I use for cooking crabcakes and fish.
B) The Griswold chicken fryer that I use to cook, fry and roast with. This is my most versatile piece but it is as heavy as a bear.
C) I would like to have a vintage Griswold chicken fryer.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?

A deep Lodge 4 in 1 with the star logo. That was 31 years ago and some starvin' times. I made a lot of baked beans in it.

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?

user.


3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?

Lodege hammered base dutch oven with arc logo lid.

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?

Dunno. Some still unidentified.

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?

The hand polished 6" and 10" are my workhorses...

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

My SIL is offering me a shallow (chicken fryer style) 4 in 1 Lodge with a hinged lid but no Star logo. I can use a 4 in 1 but would like the deep one that I used to have with that logo. I could use a waffle iron too but the old designs are inferior to modern electric ones for platen design. If someone made a CI one with gutters I'm on it.
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?

In the mid 80s, I bought a new No. 8 Lodge Dutch oven - since sold and upgraded.

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?

as far as cast iron goes, we collect what we use, but much of what we have, don't get used much at all.

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?

Griswold slant logo No. 9 dutch oven

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?

Griswold slant logo No. 9 dutch oven. I even negotiated for it on the first day of an estate sale and they relented. We have since sold it (a No. 8 is the perfect size for us) but I retain that particular memory.

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?

from my cold dead hands they will take my unmarked Wagner No. 8 pot and my Wagner-Ware muffin pan. You can't make chili without making cornbread.

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".

that would be the next piece of cast iron we find.

-jim
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
- A lodge pan
2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
- Looking like "yes"...I'm starting to collect...but plan on using what I collect
3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
- Atlanta Stove Works Cue-Grill Deluxe
4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
- Atlanta Stove Works Cue-Grill Deluxe
5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
- Atlanta Stove Works Cue-Grill Deluxe
6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".
- a BSR hibachi/sportsman
- a wood burner stove
- a tokyo grill
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
I bought a 7 Qt Lodge Dutch Oven in 2012 because the 5 Qt family D.O. was just a bit too small when I made a previous batch of Gumbo. I now own the family collection since both my parents have passed (a while ago).

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
Both. I bought a Wagner 1891 skillet at a local vintage store in 2018 with the intention of learning how to clean CI before tackling the family CI. The 1891 had been sitting outside and had a good variety of blemishes to clean. Since then I have been a collector as well as a user.

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
Wagner Ware Sidney -O- #1053. It has become my favorite weekend eggs (and other stuff) pan. At least that is the earliest picture of my collection that I purchased. Family stuff has been around since the 1950s thru 1970s.

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
Wagner Ware Sidney -O- #8 waffle iron on a high base.

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
I don't think I could choose just one piece. Hope it never happens. I might be able to narrow it down to 3 or 4 pieces, mostly inherited pieces plus my Jambalaya pot and burner.

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".
A large "Witch's Cauldron" with no pitting. I don't know how I would clean and season it though. Or what I would actually use it for. My Jambalaya pot is 3 Gallons and is big enough for now.

7. What do friends and family think of your obsession?
Most think it's fun stuff. My sister actually helps. She texted a few weeks ago about a Griswold skillet that sounded nice but a bit more $ that I wanted to pay. I'm on the lookout for other stuff for her.
 
1. .....My first one was a Wagner 1891 set of three that I had around, but never really like CI. Man, that was awhile ago, lol.

2. Im both. I love to collect sets, or just anything rare. But, I TRY to use most of my CI, but I dont cook 7 times a day.

3. Wapak #9 Z Logo...It was cheap, rusty, and it is sweet now!

4. Fully Marked Victor #9.

5. Now this one is hard. I think id keep my #12 Wapak. It was pitted bad, but its about filled in now. Its just the right size for what I usually cook.

6. A #10 Griswold LBL, a Wapak Indian Head #12, Any prison made piece, I think they are a part of History.

7. My family just think Im warped for paying anything for CI basically. If they only knew..........I have THE BUG!
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".


1. My mothers large Wagner cast iron pan.
2. More a collector. I do use from time to time but I buy more than I can use.
3. The newest one I just bought. It always keeps me hunting.
4. Well it's not a pot or pan but an 1882 cast iron & brass fan motor. It's worth far more than most cast iron pots or pans
5. I think as far as pots and pans go I would say the Wagner that was my mothers.
6. I would love to find a Griswold Spider pan, An Emerson Meston Electric fan, And an Emerson CF 28 Ceiling fan.

That's my list. Thanks

The 1882 Electrodynamic Co. of Philadelphia electric fan. And yes it runs! The motor body is solid cast iron.

CIMG5188.JPG
 
1. What is the first piece of cast iron cookware you actually owned?
My mothers BSR skillet

2. Do you consider yourself more a collector, a user, or both?
Both, limited user.

3. What is the first piece you acquired with an eye toward collecting?
Old skillet found hanging in the garage turned out to be a Chicken Fryer.

4. What is the first truly collectible piece you acquired?
Wagner Corn Stick Pan.

5. If you were forced to give up your collection except for one piece, what would that piece be?
Mothers Skillet.

6. Knowing it's hard to name a single favorite, name up to three CI items, rare or not, on your "holy grail" or "bucket list".
Oval Roaster, #8 Waffle Maker with bottom.
 
1) First piece owned: Large logo flat bottomed No. 8 Griswold.
2) Collector, user, or both?: Both
3) First piece with an eye for collecting?: Slant logo Griswold EPA with a crack near the handle that I still use.
4) First collectible piece: Large logo flat bottomed No. 8 Griswold.
5) If I could only keep one piece in my collection: No. 9 Griswold’s Erie
6) Three Items on my holy grail bucket list: No. 7 Griswold’s Erie, No. 8 Griswold’s Erie, Any size number Selden and Griswold skillet.
 
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