What is the largest Griswold Pan

[loebster]

Well, it was at a small local flea market. A old guy had it, his wife had just died of cancer and the things he had at the table it looked as if he was cleaning out a few old things from the house. He claimed he had bought it camping at a rural store several years ago. And that they had used it yearly for camping. He came across as geniun and not a flim flam guy trying to pull something. But the color and finish of it was like new lodge.  I almost wish I had bought it now so I could post pictures. It was just more than I wanted to spend for what I thought was a non colectible piece. Plus I wanted to  go buy some chickens at the livestock part. That was what I went there for.

[loebster]

Largest Skillet I have in the red book is the #20 or 19 3/4" hotel skillet. But others may know of more. I have searched for cast iron by different makers and there are some other companies that produce or have produced bigger.  Ebay action #4333153090 is for a 20" skillet not Griswold.Last summer I saw a Camp oven that was three foot across. It didn't have a maker on it. And I didn't want to spend $250. It may have been worth it thought. That was one big piece of iron.

So your skillet may have been a Griswold. But other companies were making cast iron. If it was bigger than 20" which is pretty hugh somebody else more than likely made it.. The only way to know for sure would be to track it down and check it out. Or show your buddie the two differnt pictures of the ones that sold on E-bay and see if he thinks it looks like one of them.

[Roger Barfield]

Bill, it is the Griswold 20" as far as I know, back on page one of this thread there  are some links to ebay that have pictures.  

[moosejaw]

Thanks Steve, you did answer my question.  What causes the differences in the finishes.....i.e. new Lodge is rougher than old Lodge?

[Steve_Stephens]

Marty,
I've heard that Lodge is no longer grinding the cooking surfaces so they would be rougher with the "as-cast" surface.  Not too long ago Lodge would grind or not grind and it was up to the store to order which style they wanted to sell.  Of course the unground was cheaper.  Wagner did the same.  The grit on the grinding stones in later years seems to have been coarser than what must have been used in the Erie days and before.

Steve