Wagner D/O vs. Drip Drop Roasters

[Brian Vick]

OK folks, going on the premise that their are no dumb questions just dumb answers...Help me with this one.The Wagner dutch ovens the ones with just the P/N on the bottom, did they come with the unmarked ring top or the raised letter lids? Same question for the Round Roasters the ones that say Round Roaster on the bottom...did they come with the ring top originally or the raised letter lids we can talk about the incised early lids circa 1924 at another time.
Did they come with either lid or is there a rule of thumb
Maybe John or some of you other Wagner experts can answer this one for me.
Thanks for the help
Brian

[Greg Stahl]

I don't know Brian.

[Steve_Stephens]

Brian,
Some photos would be helpful.  When you say the pot has only the catalog number on the bottom do you mean it is not marked Wagner Ware?  I would look in either the red or blue book or some of the other Wagner books and see what combiinations there are there realizing that not all pieces are necessarily pictured as they were originally made.  But the red and blue books are good with few mistakes.  If the bottom part has thick, indented writing it probably came with the raised letter lid.  If the writing is small and shallow it probably came with the top with the rings on the top of it.
Steve

[Brian Vick]

Steve,
Thanks for taking a stab at my question. I'm putting a set of Wagner D/Os together but the more you look the more different possibilities come up.
I know you have seen lots of Wagner D/Os I', talking about the ones with the italisized trademark...some have the trademark and the P/N only and some say ROUND ROASTER
and have P/N as well My question concerns the lids which came on these pots... were they the raised letter type or the concentric rings does one predate the other or were they introduced at the same time not a big deal but I wonder if there is a rule of thumb or they came with either lid on either pot Cheers

[Steve_Stephens]

Brian,
Here is a rough try at categorizing the Wagner DO's

First ones were like the early early pots with a flat top.  Very nicely cast; probably better than the ERIE's

Next(?) came a pot with a humpbacked domed cover that had an iron knob that was nickel plated and that you could put your finger through from the side.  No basting rings.  Bottom of pot marked Wagner Wager

Next was a similiar shaped cover with integral loop iron handle and this cover had basting zig-zags (and are they hard to clean!)  Cover top had incised writing on it.  Bottom of pot was either Wagner Ware or Wagnerware with the large "W".  Marked ROUND ROASTER.  No catalog number.  (note that wagner referred to the number on their pots as catalog numbers while Griswold called theirs pattern numbers.  Pretty much the same purpose I believe).

Next version had the domed cover with the 1" high sides and zig-zag basting rings and lots of patent dates inside the cover and large raised writing on top of cover.  Pot marked Wagnerware with the large W but early versions might have been Wagner Ware with separate W's.  I don't think there was a catalog number yet.  Also marked ROUND ROASTER.  Some with this cover may not have been marked with ROUND ROASTER, I am not sure.

C.1930's came the cover with the shallow zig-zag basting rings (easier to clean).   I am not sure what, if anything, was written on the cover's top or if it had those concentric circles.   Pot not marked ROUND ROASTER and I think the catalog number was there.  Shallower incised writing.  No raised writing on top of cover.

Late 30's (?) is the pot with catalog number on bottom.  Cover has shallow circles incised on top of cover and the basting rings are circular with notches in them.  No writing on top of cover.

There is a later version or two but with no collector value and my mind is hazy on the facts for these.

That should give you a start and you can look at photos and make corrections and additions.  Please let me know and I'll update this post.  I am going from memory and, though I have probably had all the Wagner do's over the years, I no longer do and have not been looking for them in particular.

The earlier No.6 Wagners are neat pieces.  I like the early style with the knob on the cover  though the casting has a somewhat rough texture at times.

Steve

[Brian Vick]

Steve,
As Beer would say" Muchos Gracias"

Brian