Number 4 Griswold Skillet

[C. Perry Rapier]

I have a number 4 Griswold skillet with the medium sized logo on the back. Underneath the logo is printed, 7 INCH SKILLET, underneath that is printed, MADE IN USA, and underneath that is merely the letter C. It also has an A on the underside of the handle and a number 4 on the top side of the handle. I figure it is from the Wagner plant but I have just never seen the medium griswold and made in USA on the same piece. It looks like the number 4 at the top of page 14 in the blue book but described as I have done so above. Is this unusual? Has anybody else seen these? Thanks, Perry Rapier

[Greg Stahl]

Yeap I have one and the only reason I have one is that the #@*%$)*@ L&W books have this piece marked as RARE!!  I got it before I knew any better and paid $24 for it, so I thought I got a GREAT deal!!  

There are a series of pans made by Wagner with these markings and I've seen skillets from #4 up to #14 with the markings of "inches" and Made in USA on them.

[Steve_Stephens]

The trademark on that pan is not one used by Griswold during its days in Erie but one made up by the owners of Griswold and Wagner when they were both in Sidney.  Maybe Randall or Textron?  That skillet is quite common and, also, due to the fact that it has no real style or quality and is actually a Wagner skillet with a new style Griswold TM on it, that I will not buy them at any cost.  

After thinking things over for a while I decided that there is no "medium" sized Griswold TM.  The large TM, including the lg. block TM comes in different sizes and sometimes appears SMALLER than the small TM (on "0" skillets for instance).  The size of the pan sometimes dictates a different size of the TM but the STYLE of the TM is what prodominently says "slant", "large or block", "small", etc.  The small TM is almost always identical in all ways including size on most Griswold pans.  A few exceptions exist such as on the square toy skillet with its very tiny TM based on the small TM.

I used to call the block TM as found on the later 30's dutch ovens and their covers the Medium TM but feel now that it is just another variation of the large or block TM which never did have a standard and constant size nor exact proportions as did the small TM.

Steve

[Harry Riva]

Steve, somewhere in my pile of iron I believe I have a GRISWOLD EPU #11 that has a trademark that is larger than the small logo but smaller than the large logo. If so, doesn't this make for a medium logo?
Harry

[Greg Stahl]

Harry,
That medium size logo skillet does exist and I've seen them.  In fact if I remember correctly the placement of the ERIE, PA USA is also different on those compared to the regular #11 LBSR skillets.  Lower, if I recall??

[Steve_Stephens]

You are correct Harry and Greg.  But, the TM is still of the same style and basic proportions as other block TM's.  Look at a number of different pieces and you will see that the block (and slant) TM's will vary quite a bit in size.  An 871 deep patty bowl has a much smaller large TM but it is still the same TM, just smaller.  The small TM, on the other hand, is of a different typestyle, shallower by a large margin (I know, some slant tm's are also shallow).  Take a look at a No.5 slant EPU skillet and notice the TM is larger than on a 6,7, and maybe even some larger sizes of similiar skillets.  We don't call that TM an "extra large TM" so why should there be a medium TM?  Just remembered the slant/Erie No.8 skillets that do have a tm that is quite a bit smaller than usual.  Still I say it is too hard to properly segregate all the different slant and block TM sizes into another category.
Steve

[Jenny Schwartz]

Yeap I have one and the only reason I have one is that the #@*%$)*@ L&W books have this piece marked as RARE!!  I got it before I knew any better and paid $24 for it, so I thought I got a GREAT deal!!

I think we paid under $20 for ours, we  snapped it up because the LW book had it listed as RARE and figured we had gotten the deal of the day. NOT! Oh well you win some and lose some I guess.

[Will Person]

Well,  I did the same thing. :(   Oh well.  I thought it was rare too.  I think I paid like $17.00 for it.  

But folks,  I have seen these sell for $40-50 on Ebay,  probably just because of the book. :D

Will P. [smiley=smoking.gif]

[Steve_Stephens]

I want you all to know:
That, while I had a lot to do with the first volume of the L-W Griswold book with the majority of photos being mine,  I was so disappointed in the book when I got my copies.  The publisher went to press before having it properly proof read plus they had someone inhouse who did not know a thing about iron cookware working on the book.  I had nothing to do with the photo or price of that No.4 "rare Griswold skillet" and was appalled when I saw it.  Even with LOTS of errors and poor layout, the L-W books are worth having as long as you know to not trust what you see.
Steve

[Greg Stahl]

Steve,
New updates of these books come out every year.  Why don't they "fix" the mistakes in the books?  It should be done.

[Steve_Stephens]

Steve,
New updates of these books come out every year.  Why don't they "fix" the mistakes in the books?  It should be done.

I wholeheartedly agree!!  Why not take pride in one's work and make it the best possible?  I think that L-W sees it has a cash cow there and will sell just as many books without revision as with.  No cost involved to correct, either.  A shame, as the books (with a LOT of correction or revision) would be pretty decent books.

Steve

[Jerry Cermack]

Over 2 yrs ago, I wrote a letter to L-W about that RARE 7 inch #4 and asked what information they used to substantiate it being rare and a Griswold?....many months later, June 12, 2001, I got a letter from a Richard A. Miller saying he was a spokesperson for L-W and  the skillet was a mistake and he had nothing to do with it being in the book.  He agreed it was merely a transition skillet from Griswold to Wagner.  He said he answered all letters to L-W books.....I still have the letter.

[C. Perry Rapier]

It sounds to me like that letter is probably worth more than that skillet. I am going to call mine a talkin bout piece. It's just worth talkin bout an nats all. Perry

[Jerry Cermack]

I dug out the letter and thought I'd reprint it here:

McConnellsburg, PA.
June 12, 2001

Being the spokesperson for L&W books concerning Griswold, the #4 skillet has a value of $15.00. and as you say, it is a transtition skillet.  I had nothing to do with this item, and how it got into the book I will never know.  I answer all letters sent to L&W books, no pay & pay for my own stamps. If you would like to forward this letter to L&W books, feel free to do so.  I agree 100% this skillet should not have ever been shown as a RARE skillet, but a common transition skillet.  If I can ever be of any help to you in the future, please feel free to let me know, however, please include a SASE.

Thank You,

Richard A. Miller
626 Crossroads Road
McConnellsburg, PA  17233