Griswold chrome and nickel finishes

[Steve_Stephens]

This is a repeat of a post on another thread.  I'm putting it here so it won't be buried in the other thread which is at:
http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Cleaning;action=display;num=1066370607;start=0
***********************************************
There are always questions about the plated finishes that Griswold used.  Hopefully this will clear up some misconceptions and may bring up some more questions.

Quoting from Griswold's Bulletin E-11 (c.1932)
"Silverlike Cast Iron Cooking Utensils.  These utensils are nickeled over inside and out making a clean, attractive 'Silverlike' finish.  They are not polished"

I just noticed that it says "nickeled inside and out" which contradicts what I said about all nickeled pans being black iron on the inside (which MOST are).  I have a block TM smooth bottom No.4 skillet which is not polished on the outside like most nickeled pieces were and indications that it may have been nickeled on the inside all over.  The plating is worn but goes down more on the inside of the pan than on the older, polished pans.  I think this may have been the beginning of the "silverlike" term and made when Chrome started to came into use with Griswold.  Possibly the Silverlike term was later used to indicate a certain Chromium finish but no indication of this appears in any Griswold literature I have seen.

From Griswold catalog of 1940:  The cover of the catalog says: "Extra Finish Black--Silverlike--Chrome".   If Silverlike had been one of the chrome finishes then it seems odd that it would appear separately from the word "Chrome" on the cover.   Inside the catalog many pieces are offered in "Satin Chrome" and "Du-Chro".  The Satin Chrom  appears to be highly polished on the outside,  as-cast on the bottoms, and satin on the inside with the grinding marks on the cooking surface visible.   I have a near mint, probably unused No.8 wood handled skillet like that.  Other chromed pieces I have seen have the whole of the cooking surface in a mirror polish chrome finish.  These may be of earlier or later manufacture.  Griswold did change the details of its finishes over the years.
Also shown are "Du-Chro" finished skillets with covers in sizes 2-10 only.  This is "Dull Chrome" derived from a special process by Griswold.  It is better finished--better looking--will not easily tarnis--ready to instant use--cooks foods perfectly.  "DU-CHRO" UTENSILS cost a little more than the regular extra finished ware (black iron) and a little less then the Chrome finished ware.
These pieces are not polished on the outsides but might have some polished highlights on the rims; can't tell for sure from the photo.
And then there are several pages of "Silverlike" where neither the words "Chrome" or "Nickel" are mentioned.  Included are the three cake molds.  Anyone ever seen a chrome plated Santa, lamb or rabbit?  All plated ones I have seen are nickeled determined from the warmer "color" than chrome has.  I would say then that Silverlike is still nickel in this catalog and, probably, in all Griswold useage.


From the Griswold 1940-42 catalog the three chrome finishes as Griswold called them were as follows.  These were available only on the table service pieces plus the oval skillets.  Nickeled finishes are not offered in this catalog nor are any chrome finishes on regular cookware items presumably because of the war:

"Chrome finish" dull chrome, unpolished, some pieces with satin rims, some with polished rims, dull interior, unpolished outside and bottom.
"Satin finish" resembles frosted silver or fine pewter.  A satin finish with bottoms unpolished.
"Full Polish Chrome" All surfaces and parts highly polished except bottoms and undersides of covers.

Note that the previous catalog's "Du-Chro" finish is no longer offered of has had its name changed.
"These finishes are obtained by different polishing operations and they do not indicate a difference in quality but merely a choice of decoration"
One could say that the Satin Finish might be the Silverlike or nickel but it is specifically stated that it is chrome.

Regarding chromed pieces with black cooking surfaces.  I think the only pieces I have seen are the early small tm skillets.  Had one and have seen a few on ebay.  Otherwise all chrome pieces I have seen had originally been plated on the cooking surface.

Steve

[Harry Riva]

Steve, part of the above Griswold catalog says "Also shown are "Du-Chro" finished skillets with covers in sizes 2-10 only. " Does this mean that Griswold advertised and made a cover for the #2 skillet? I've never heard of a #2 skillet cover.
HArry

[Steve_Stephens]

I wish I could say they did make a No.2 cover Harry but, in hitting the highlights of what the catalogs showed I missed a few facts:

"Du-Chro" Skillet With Self-Basting Dome Shaped Cover.  Sold with and without the Cover.
The catalog's chart of sizes, weights, etc. has dashed lines where the No.2 cover would be so...no No.2 cover, but the other sizes including the 4 were made.
Steve

[moosejaw]

Steve,

I would say my skillet is probably the Du-Chro finish.  Not highly polished, except for the tail end of the handle.  It does not have a yellow cast at all, so it is probably not nickel plated.  

[woodpile]

Greetings Steve:  I just read your very informative post.  Thanks for the info.  To let you know, I have a # 8 slant Erie skillet which I use more than any other iron utensil in the house.  It is what I believe to be nickled on the outside and what I always considered to be the silverlike piece Griswold sold.  When clean it is silver in apearance and as used dulls to a very light yellow cast.  What is interesting is that this particular skillet has the very finest polished inside finish I have ever seen on a skillet anywhere bar-none.  It is in my opinion and also the opinion of all who have seen this particular skillet that no finer iron inside finish exists.  Hope yours is as nice as mine.  Cheerio George V

[Steve_Stephens]

 What is interesting is that this particular skillet has the very finest polished inside finish I have ever seen on a skillet anywhere bar-none.  It is in my opinion and also the opinion of all who have seen this particular skillet that no finer iron inside finish exists.  

It could be the use and care your skillet has received rather than Griswold having finished the inside to a higher standard.  Some skillets do seem to be so smooth on the inside compared with others.  When they are very smooth they are a joy to use.  All the plated slant TM pans are nickel plated as chrome had not come into commercial use then.  But Griswold's "silvelike" was a slightly different finish ( though still nickel) with the outside left unpolished.