Need info on my skillet and ID if possible.

M

MKendle

New member
Hi everyone,

I need help identifying my skillet. This skillet has hung on my parents shed as a decoration for the last 14 years. I asked my mother about it and she said that it was my great grandmothers and was passed down to her but she didn't know how to cook with it so she used it as decoration. When I left for college I bought myself a couple of lodge pans and have been cooking on cast iron ever since. I had always wanted to restore an old piece and when I saw this hanging on the shed I thought it might be worth a try not knowing that it was an heirloom. I had hoped that, after cleaning, a name or maker mark might had been revealed but I was out of luck. The only information I have found is that the heat ring on the bottom most likely dates it pre 1920s. I noticed however, that the handle is like no other 1900s skillet I have ever seen. I tried to do some research on the handle and all I could figure is that skillets forged in the 1800s tended to have handles like this one. If thats true than it might date the skillet back to my great great grandmother. I don't know if it matters what region she lived in or not but it would be northern West Virginia.

Sorry for the long drawn out post but this has quickly become my favorite piece and I feel like it has a story to tell.

I would greatly appreciate any knowledge or information that anyone could give me.

Here are some before and after pictures.
IMG_0373.jpg IMG_0386.jpg IMG_0387.jpg
 
That is a beauty, from the handle and single pour spout it does look pre-1900 for sure. Chances are you'll never ID it as having a maker, but I'm no expert. Maybe the 8 on it could tell the tale, that style was used on early Blacklock/Lodge.
 
Although it is certainly mid to late-19th century, I see no characteristics whatsoever that suggest Lodge. Before the 20th century, cast iron hollow ware production was a local or regional affair at most, with individual entrepreneurs or small foundries practicing that which had been brought over from Europe and Great Britain, which would account for similarities in design, but with minor differences. Without clearly identifying markings on pieces this old, knowing who made them is impossible 99% of the time. This piece was likely produced in the eastern part of the country, foundry operations spreading westward as resources used in its manufacture were discovered in the Midwest and South mostly.
 
I have had 5 or 6 of those skillets with the same handle. I see an unmarked size 7 with smooth bottom and a 9 with a very low heat rim. Because they and others I have had usually have a lot of wear on the bottom I think they are quite old, probably before 1880. No idea of the maker but they are very nice early skillets.
 
Thank you for the insight. I am happy that I could learn a little bit more about the skillet. I have no intentions at all of selling it but what would a restored skillet like mine sell for? I have never bought a vintage piece and this was my first restore project. It spent 3 days in electrolysis bath before I could finally clean it with the steel wool lol. It was well worth it. I can't wait to cook on it because the surface is so smooth compared to the lodges I bought at Walmart.
 
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