Marion skillet

[thermactor]

Hello,

I've got a question.  My dad recently picked up a Marion skillet, (he has it with him now so I can't see it at this time).  The skillet has the best, smoothest, most polished and flawless finish of any skillet I've ever seen.  Better than any Griswold Erie or Wagner in my dad's rather large collection.  It is simply marked Marion on the bottom, and is a #8.  It was bought in an antique mall south of Indianapolis.  

Indianapolis is primarily in Marion county.  So, I thought that might have something to do with it.  But, and internet search turned up a Marion stove works in Marion Iowa back in the very early 1900s.

So, I'm trying to find any information that anyone might have on Marion.  Does anyone else here have a Marion skillet or know of this company?

Thanks,
Wes

[Greg Stahl]

We have that foundry in our WAGS member foundry database.  We believe it is the Mariron Stove Co. of Marion IN.  There appears to be ties to Griswold and WW, as the skillets are almost identical to the earliest of these two foundries.

[Steve_Stephens]

Hi Wes,
I have several Marion skillets and agree with you that some are as fine as or better than Griswold and Erie skillets.   My favorite one happens to be a nickel plated one with, if I remember correctly, a faint ERIE ghost marking on the bottom.  It's polished all over but the black iron ones were polished only on the insides.  I have also seen Marion  tea kettles, flat bottom and three legged kettles, yankee bowls, and shallow skillets.  

I forget how we arrived at Marion Stove Works as being the maker of the Marion cookware but it "should" be accurate.  Somehow, though, I still wonder if the pan didn't come from Marion, Ohio, also the county seat of Marion County but one state east of Indiana.  Marion Indiana is right by Indianaopolis while Marion Ohio is a bit north of Columbus, Ohio, itself a center of iron making along with fairly close Dayton, Sidney, and Miami (Favorite).  With so many iron cookware foundries in and around that area of Ohio is what makes me wonder if the Marion pieces could have come from Ohio.  I think I will have to dig out the material one of our members sent me on his research for the Marion pans.


Your Littlestown Hardware skillet (you mentioned in another post), by the way, is a bit unusual.  I've seen a few of them before (mostly on ebay).  They were an exception to the rule that any cookware marked "Made in USA" was made before c.1960.  The Littlestown pans seem to date to the 20's or before (my guess) and they are marked Made in USA.

Steve

[C. Perry Rapier]

Steve, It was I, Perry Rapier, who sent you the information about the Marion Stove Works out of Marion, Indiana, who made the Marion skillets and moved to Marion, Indiana from Sidney, Ohio. The Sidney Hollow Ware, out of Sidney, Ohio company made stoves as well as Hollow Ware and other cast iron items. In 1888 they moved the Stove Works to Marion, Indiana and built a new plant at Marion, Indiana. I suspected they made Hollow Ware there as well. So I went to Marion, Indiana, found the old plant and lots of paper showing that they made Hollow Ware. As you know Sidney Hollow Ware of Sidney, Ohio was bought by Wagner in 1897. I got some of this information from the Blue Book. After the Stove Plant was moved to Marion, Indiana the Blue Book gives no more information. So that is why I went to Marion, Indiana, to see if Marion skillets were made in Marion, Indiana. As I stated above, I figured if they were making skillets in Sidney, Ohio while they also made stoves, and they moved to a new plant in Marion, Indiana to make stoves they probably made Hollow Ware in Marion, Indiana at the new plant as well, and they did. Sorry about the long explanation. It is something I know about, followed it up, and got paper on it.

[thermactor]

Very interesting indeed.  I forgot to mention, actually, that my dad's Marion skillet does have an "ERIE" ghost mark.  The skillet is so highly polished inside, and so smooth on the outside, and so thin that it's incredible.  It's black iron - not chromed or anything.  The skillet just exudes quality.  When you're handling it, flipping it over in your hands, etc, it emits a ringing tone that just permeates the air.  It's really neat - it's such a pure tone, unlike any of our other skillets.
Thanks very much for the info on Marion.  I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for more of them, as it's a brand I'd like to collect.  Kinda neat that it's from right here in Indiana, as well.

Thanks again,
Wes

[thermactor]

Steve, thanks for the comments on the Littlestown.  It is a very odd piece.  Another interesting thing about it, besides the Made in USA, is the handle.  It's really short -- over half an inch shorter than the handle on a Griswold small logo 5 I have lying around.

Thanks,
Wes

[C. Perry Rapier]

Wes, If you would like, send me your email address and I would be happy to put together a PDF file and share with you some of what I got. I got to hold an original bill of sale from Marion Stove Works, dated 1895 I think, but I have a copy of it. It shows an order sent to a customer in Ohio that purchased holloware and prices etc. It also says makers of Hollow Ware etc. etc. etc. Also there is a story from an 1895? book that tells how the the Marion Stove Works came to be from Sidney, Ohio.

[C. B. Williams]

I seems quite clear who the authority on Marion is here. Good job Perry. We are indebted. thanks, C B

[Greg Stahl]

It is probably my fault, correct Perry?, that more info is not posted on the WAGS foundry list about Marion.  I believe Perry sent me a bunch of material to copy and PDF more than one year ago and it is on my "pile" of stuff to do.

Sorry, too much to do, but Auntie Annie knows how busy, busy can be, right Annie?

[thermactor]

Thanks Perry.  You can reach me at hurst84@gmail.com.  I'd love to look over what you've found.

Thanks,
Wes

[Greg Stahl]

Just posted three PDF files of info on Marion Stove Company and its ties to Sidney Mfg Co. on the FOUNDRY list for WAGS members.  Great info Perry!!