The Griswold trademark was first used about 1909 but Griswold did mark some of their pieces of cookware from the beginning I think (c.1879??). Many pieces such as the earlier muffin pans and some hardware type items (umbrella stands, nut crackers, etc.) were not marked. Around 1891 Griswold started to put pattern numbers (not part numbers) on all their castings and that continued until the Erie foundry shut down in Dec. 1957. Griswold's Cliff Cornell skillets do not have pattern numbers but they are about the only pieces I know of that do not.
Wagner never manufactured in Erie but they did end up under the same ownership as Griswold with both companies having undergone a change or two of ownership before "joining" in 1957 with all subsequent manufacture at the Wagner foundry. Exception: Some Martha Stewart Christmas pans (WAGS convention attendees got one each) were cast in 2003 at the old Griswold foundry (now Zurn Manufacturing) but the finishing was done at the Wagner foundry which is unable to pour any more iron.
I would expect that Wagner, upon first using any of the old
Griswold patterns that they got from Griswold, would have modified them to remove the ERIE, PA. Most companies were starting to mark their iron cookware pieces "Made in USA" which is something that Griswold did not do.
Next time you flush your favorite public toilet or urinal, look to see if the flush valve is made by Zurn. I don't know if those valves are actually made in the old Griswold foundry as Zurn may have other foudnries and the valves are brass castings but it's the same company as owns the Griswold foundry now.
Steve
