Which waffle iron base to use? (a follow-up)

[Harry]

Thanks to allr responding to my post on the Griswold Forum.  

"heart only" irons are mentioned in some replies.  In the "Griswold & Wagner" book by Smaith & Wafford (p. 91) they show a heart only iron from Western Importing Co.  In "Griswold Volume II"  from L-W Book Sales (p. 110) they show a heart only iron marked with Alfred Anderson.

These irons look very similar.  Are they the same iron from different sources?  Some responders seem to endorse the  Alfred Anderson iron more strongly for actually cooking waffles.  I think I want to try one of those first and want to be sure I obtain the genuine item.

[Tom Neitzel]

It's the same company.  Alfred Andresen started the company, The Alfred Andresen Co, and Western Importing.  If you go to the Info on Foundrys board and look for the Alfred Andresen and Scandinavian Importing thread, you will find a picture of the Andresen storefront with both names on it.

The waffle irons with handles, either name, are made by Griswold for Andresen/WICO.

These irons are a reasonably priced alternative to the Griswold irons if you want to use an antique iron.  My belief is that they are actually less common and slightly earlier than the Griswold line, but there is not as great a collector demand.

They exist in both low and high base versions, but you don't see the high base as much.

If I was just wanting to cook hearts in cast iron I would use the post-WWII Jotul (from Norway) iron with bakelite handles, it's heavier, fewer bumps and and lumps on the outside, and easier to keep heated evenly on an electric stove (which I have).  With gas it doesn't matter.  There is an earlier Jotul iron with leather-like riveted fiber handles that is contemporaneous with the Griswold heart star.

tom

[Steve_Stephens]

 If you go to the Info on Foundrys board and look for the Alfred Andresen and Scandinavian Importing thread, you will find a picture of the Andresen storefront with both names on it.

My belief is that they are actually less common and slightly earlier than the Griswold line, but there is not as great a collector demand.

Harry, the foundry section of the forum that Tom mentions is on the WAGS member part of the forum and I don't think you are a member so you won't be able to see it.

Tom, Griswold was making waffle irons as early as 1880 or even earlier so I don't think Andresen predates the Griswold irons.

Harry, if you are just looking for a waffle iron that is well made, easy to use, and makes great waffles I would suggest any No.8 size of:
Griswold Hearts Star
Griswold 1908 patent irons with pattern #'s 314/315 (312/313 are identical)
Andresen or WI Heart Shaped irons.  
All of these will make great waffles and are quality irons that you can find with a little looking.  My personal favorite and what I think is the best waffle iron every made is the 314/315 Griswold on a high frame.  $50 to 100 is about the range they sell for.  I have the Hearts Star but prefer the standard pattern of the 314/315.
None of these irons has been reproduced, or reproduced so that you can't tell an original.  Just remember that all of Griswold's castings are well done with neat writing and a pattern number should be on every piece they made after about 1891 with only a very few exceptions (Cliff Cornell skillets and ??)

Steve

[Tom Neitzel]

Oops, I assumed when I saw a name that meant they were a member.  Sorry Harry, but if you were to join, you could see this information.

Steve I didn't mean general Griswold waffle irons, just the heart shape.  I didn't see that prior to the heart star irons, with Andresen patenting his in 1905.

tom

[Steve_Stephens]

Oh, I thought you did mean Griswold waffle irons in general.  The Hearts Star was patented in 1920 so that's about when it came out-well after the Andresen Heart irons- and was probably made into the 1930's.  Do you know when the last of the WI or Andresen Heart waffle irons were made?

If you look right under a user's name it will say "WAGS member" if they are.  A bit confusing from the start I think even though it's there.  We are not all created equal but the difference is only $25-30 which isn't much at all.

Steve