Aluminum Oval Roaster with Applied Handle

[Jerry Cermack]

I have a Griswold #5 cast aluminum oval roaster with the applied (riveted) handle like the DO lid discussed lately, only the roaster lid has a block logo and the DO lid discussed has a slant logo.  This oval roaster is shown in the 1918 catalog reprint.  The roaster bottom has a slant logo, but the lid has a block logo?

[C. Perry Rapier]

Thomas, You did a very nice job on those pictures. They sure are sharp, clear, and detailed. I wish the sellers on ebay used pictures like that. A lot of times the background looks better than the item on ebay. It looks to me like the mold maker could not make up his mind as to what type of lettering he wanted to use. It looks to me like he started block, changed his mind, twice, and then finished up. I think an argument could be made that it is block logo on the bottom part, only the letters are crooked. Or you could say the letters are slanted, a little, with some more than others. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[Steve_Stephens]

That's interesting about your cover Jerry.  I've seen plenty of dutch ovens with mismatched trademarks (block and slant) on the bottom and top so that's not so surprising.  But the block TM seems to have been first used in 1924 which is a lot later than the 1918 catalog.  I bet Griswold changed some trademark styles as they got around to it so that could explain mismatched tm's on one piece.   Why the riveted handle on your cover I don't know.   I have an aluminum Griswold No.8 skillet cover with Patent Appl'd For instead of the 1925 patent date on it and with the block TM.  The handle is of the old style, integrally cast but looking like it was pinned on with square "pins" alongside the tm.  I wonder if there was some limitation in casting aluminum handles that caused Griswold to rivet them on.  They didn't do that with the iron handles.  Such variations and the questions brought up makes Griswold a fascinating subject.  Great photos.
Steve

[Troy_Hockensmith]

I have a second hand comment as I wan't there. But, I have heard that....... the other....... club during their first convention had workers from the Griswold foundry attend their convention and they had the unique opportunity to question some workers. One thing that came out of that was the questions on trademarks. The employees commented that if the company had a large order they used whatever molds/patterns they had available in order to fill it as quickly as possible with little consideration to the markings. I would assume that this is how we end up with a lot of mix matched pieces. I would also assume that there were lot's of marrages over the years as well but I suspect the factory did it as well.    

[Clark Rader]

Exellent  photos and good reading. clark