Griswold chuck wagon

[Frank Louck]

Hi,

I recently found a dutch oven with legs at a swap meet.  The oven and cover are marked Griswold.  The oven bears the number 834X and the cover 842.  In addition the cover has the word Erie and the number 9.  Does anyone know the approximate date of manufacture?  Thanks.

Frank

[Harry Riva]

The Blue Book states circa as 1930's but Troy can probably weigh in with better info. I think the 9 is a pretty rare bird.
Harry

[Greg Stahl]

Great find Frank!!  There are several on this site that would love to have found that one.  If you have it for sale, you may want to ask folks here for a price and if they want it, as the three leggers are not easy to find.

[Troy_Hockensmith]

 Great find!! 9's are pretty hard to come by. Would love to see a picture of the markings and the lid handle.
 I don't claim to know everone and their collections but I do know there are not many #9 camp ovens around. I know of 4 and three of them don't have a lid. Yours makes 5 and the markings are the same as mine. Let me know if you have the rounded "applied" style handle or if it has the squared type handle. I suspect it is the rounded one.  
As far as dating is concerned I believe it could have been earllier than the 30's with the applied style handle. I don't think they messed with the patterns much on the camp ovens so it could have been after the 30's as well. I've only seen one lid that wasn't a slant logo and that was an 11. The point I'm trying to make here is you can somewhat narrow down the dates on other pieces with the logo but campovens are pretty hard with the exception of the 10's as they are by far the most common. The other sizes, with the lower demand and fewer examples are a little harder to nail  down.

Great find. I'm envious and I'm sure there are some others who are as well.  

[moosejaw]

Envious?  I'm crying!  Nice find.  Can you post some pics?

[Frank Louck]

Hi,

Thanks to all of you for your replies.  I almost didn't buy the oven.  The seller wanted $50.00 and in my comparative ignorance of such things I thought the price high for something I intended to use for camping.  In any case, an hour later found me back at the seller shelling out the $50.00.  My wife has informed me that it has found a home in front of our fireplace and that I will have to find something else for camping.

The cover handle is rounded.  I will need to borrow a digital camera in order to post a picture but will do so as soon as possible.  Again, thanks.

Frank

[moosejaw]

Sounds like your wife is a very smart lady. ;D

[Greg Stahl]

WTG Frank!!

Just a warning, CAST IRON collecting is very addicting!!  You have been warned,  however the 800+ other folks on this site, have not listened to me either, but there is hope that I may save one soul, someday, LOL.

Welcome to our addiction.

[Roger Barfield]

Great buy Frank!!!  I've never even seen one of the number nines.  That's a great price.  I pay half that much just in shipping charges on ebay.  Hope to see you post some photos when you can. [smiley=welcome.gif]

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Great buy! Bargains are still out there. You can times that by ten and you'll find more than one buyer if it is in good shape. I'm not gonna tell you not to use it but I will recommend you find something else to bounce around in the back of the truck when going camping. You can get a new Lodge for the same price and they work great.
Troy

[Paul Beer]

Amen to what Troy says! That is a keeper not a user. If you need a camp oven to use go for the earlier Lodges or even the current Lodges which aint as pretty but work. Just season them up good and use them...they are very durable.

[Troy_Hockensmith]

Here is a picture of my 9. Is the handle like this one?

[Troy_Hockensmith]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=976&item=6150954011&rd=1

The interesting thing here is the X after the PN. The chuckwagon examples I have seen show a trend of the X. I was beginning to think this was specific to camp ovens but as is the norm with Griswold there are always exceptions to the rules. Oh Well, back to the drawing board.

[Frank Louck]

Hi,

The oven appears to be identical to the one in Troy's photo.  The cover handle is the same.  Thanks for the info on the Lodge.  Rest assured I shall not put the Griswold in harm's way.  I am fighting what seems to me to be a losing battle not to start another collection in a house already crowded with a large woodworking plane collection.

Frank

[Paul Beer]

Troy, the X is used on a couple of variations of the Griswold plett pans so must have some meaning...a series etc.., and the pans are of the earlier vintage also.