AXFORD OPINION

[Jesse and Kim Dunfee]

I bought an AXFORD SKILLET. I now have 3 all different. This one has me curious for several reasons.

 It is the larger one,  #9 perhaps.  It has been cleaned with a wire brush without a doubt but a good job. The casting is rough which is one of my questions. Like a later made Wagner. Its not rust pitting because the ribs are all in good shape. For an AXFORD BROILER skillet made with a Pat Pend I would think would be an older one.  Then you can clearly see the scribe /layout lines to write the Letters in. If it was used  those should be rubbed off I would think. What's your opinion on this skillet. If its that old it should be a nice finished one like the others. And those scribe lines have me suspcious. As you can see its rough all over. Thanks    Jesse

[Jesse and Kim Dunfee]

2

[Jesse and Kim Dunfee]

3

[Chris Stairs]

Jesse,
 The "Pat Pending" definitely means that it is older than 1931.
  I think you have a rare bird there. Most Axford broilers have 11 ribs, even the later Wagner ones, even the Junior ones too. Yours has 13. :o
  Steve Stephens lives right near where these were made, and he claims to have only ever seen one of these.
   I would think that this one was made in the Mission Foundry in California, and not many were ever made. The limited production might explain the rough casting. It was never mass produced.

Early Axford Broilers are marked Pat. Pend. on the handle.  Later ones Pat. 1931.  Later ones marked Broil-Rite Broiler on bottom.  Also, the later pans including many 1931 dated ones have an opposite side handle to aid in picking up these heavy pans.   No opposite side handle on the Axford Jr. pans which are about a size 6-1/2.   The very large Axford Broiler is very rare and I've seen only one that was marked.
Steve

http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1089143689

Chris

[J. P. Vance]

Wow, that is a beauty! :)