New Member Quick Question

[Melonee D]

Large TM (trademark) Pattern number 702 No 4 Block /Erie, Pa., U.S.A. no Heat ring. Another is a 702 No 4 small TM smooth bottom and yet another has a heat ring.

What does the pattern number mean?

 

[Doug D.]

During the Erie skillet era, when they began using them, Griswold first used a unique number on each pattern. This meant you could ostensibly have six #8 Erie skillets each with a different pattern number. At some point they abandoned this idea and instead assigned a pattern number to a particular model and size of pan. Going forward, multiple working patterns were differentiated from each other by a letter appended to the pattern number. Thereafter, even if minor design changes were made (heat ring eliminated, logo changed) to a model/size pan, the pattern number remained the same.

Related: http://www.castironcollector.com/numbers.php