Author Topic: Castelain Made in USA Skillet (Read 14903 times)

Valerie Johnson · « **on:** February 07, 2015, 06:54:31 PM »

I just picked up a skillet marked on The bottom Castelain Made in the USA, I will post photos as soon as possible, Anyone ever heard of this brand before

C. Perry Rapier · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2015, 08:44:20 PM »

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I just picked up a skillet marked on The bottom Castelain Made in the USA, I will post photos as soon as possible, Anyone ever heard of this brand before

Hello Valerie. Don't believe I have ever heard of that name before. :-/

Valerie Johnson · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2015, 06:27:28 AM »

Hi Perry, Thanks for the response, Here are a couple of photos There is no size designation on the skillet other than the mark K2 on the bottom, The skillet measures apx 11" wide across the top, Has an assist tab opposite the handle and has no pour spouts

Valerie Johnson · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2015, 06:29:22 AM »

The skillet has a heat ring and the side walls are very rounded where they meet the bottom.

Mark Zizzi · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2015, 07:23:52 AM »

Well that sure is different. I've never see one like it. About the only thing I can tell you is it was made after 1960. Nice pan. ;)

Valerie Johnson · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2015, 07:51:21 AM »

Hi Mark,
Thank you, What makes you date it post 1960, I was leaning in the same direction(1950's-70's) myself but wondered what did you base that on.

Tom Neitzel · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:22:29 AM »

[smiley=agree2.gif]

It does have a newer look to it, but I have the same question. I can't date it by the markings.

Tom

Mark Zizzi · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:24:58 AM »

Hi Valerie, That is the year US companies were required by law to put Made in the USA on their cast iron cookware. Before 1960, they didn't do that..at least none that I'm aware of. I could be wrong tho, Tom might know of some that I don't know about. ;)

Valerie Johnson · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:56:45 AM »

Hi Mark, That kinda makes sense,but in 1890 all imported items were required to be marked with their country of origin and in 1914 the law was revised to include the words " Made in" to further eliminate any confusion, before that many US made items were not marked, after 1914 many just had Made in USA or USA on them, Curious as to why cast iron cookware would be required to have Made in USA on them when foreign made goods were already required to have their country of origin on them

Mike Goulet · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2015, 09:35:19 AM »

According to a google search, Castelain is somewhere in the old foundries pdf

http://www.wag-society.org/guest/list.pdf
CAROL'S IRONWARE, BENTON PA -- teakettle · CASTELAIN -- skillet ·
CENTRAL OIL & GAS STOVE CO., GARDNER, MASS, U.S.A. -- waffle irons (
early fancy.

Tom Neitzel · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2015, 09:36:15 AM »

That's a really good summary Valerie. Regarding the Made In USA, other countries had similar requirements. If you wanted to export outside the US, you needed Made in USA on it. Also could be there for people that want to make sure to buy US.

Mark, the reason I asked is that Wagner started putting it on their wares in the 1960s (I'm too lazy to look up the exact date). Many folks have expanded that to mean all US makers were required to do that then. It's just not true.

I've learned to always ask. There might be something that I've missed and can learn, or maybe help correct a misconception.

Tom

Mark Zizzi · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2015, 09:51:40 AM »

I'm really not sure of all the particulars, or if it only pertained to cast iron cookware. I just know that I've read it here in these pages numerous times..that Made in the USA started in 1960. Someone more knowledgeable on the subject will have to chime in. Here is one example I could find, from Cheryl:
Quote:I would say Lodge... after 1960 due to the Made in USA...
http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1408624646/5#5

Edit..whoops I posted this before seeing Toms last post..

this might be a good opportunity to clear the confusion (mine) about Made in the USA and 1960. Tom, do you know of any CI marked Made in the USA before 1960?

Mark Zizzi · « **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:13:53 AM »

Looks like Tom's gone offline, but from what I can gather doing some more searching...the absence of Made in the USA doesn't necessarily date it pre 1960, but the presence of Made in the USA does date it post 1960. Correct me if that's not right anyone. :)

Mike Goulet · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:33:23 AM »

I can't open the link I posted above, perhaps someone can check on the OLD foundries list as Castelain is mentioned there

an enameled castelain Skillet on ebay

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Vintage-10in-CASTELAIN-Cast-Iron-Light-Blue-Pan-Made-in-USA/261667764117?_trksid=p2047675.c100012.m1985&_trkparms=aid%3D444000%26algo%3DSOI.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140402094601%26meid%3D49f8893472ee4ab192e7144599d0ada1%26pid%3D100012%26prg%3D20140402094601%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D261632071519

Valerie Johnson · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2015, 11:28:03 AM »

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from what I can gather doing some more searching...the absence of Made in the USA doesn't necessarily date it pre 1960, but the presence of Made in the USA does date it post 1960. Correct me if that's not right anyone. :)

I have not been able to find anything that indicates there is any law,rule or regulation requiring cast iron cookware or any cookware to be marked made in the USA in relation to 1960, Post WWII during the rebuilding period of Japan and Europe(especially late 1940's-1960's) The US was the only industrialized country that was not rebuilding, The competition from foreign imports became very intense, So much that if you look at that time period you will see that many different US manufacturing companies from Pottery to Sewing Machines to Cast iron Cookware to Automobiles were having a very hard time competing with the foreign imports, I would imaging many US companies were putting Made in The USA on their items as a means of trying to attract patriotic customers, There may also be some law/rule/regulation that deals with companies that produce within the US and also import some of their products to differentiate between which products are made in the US and which are imported.

Valerie Johnson · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2015, 11:32:34 AM »

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I can't open the link I posted above, perhaps someone can check on the OLD foundries list as Castelain is mentioned there

If you go to the old foundries page Castelain is listed with a notation of skillets, if you click on Castelain it takes you to the forums main page and I did not see anything other than this column with Castelain in it.
I saw the ebay skillet after I posted here, Not much info on that listing

Mark Zizzi · « **Reply #16 on:** February 08, 2015, 11:46:12 AM »

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I can't open the link I posted above, perhaps someone can check on the OLD foundries list as Castelain is mentioned there

I looked at it on the foundries page...there are pics of this same skillet, but no other info.

Mark Zizzi · « **Reply #17 on:** February 08, 2015, 11:55:13 AM »

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I have not been able to find anything that indicates there is any law,rule or regulation requiring cast iron cookware or any cookware to be marked made in the USA in relation to 1960,

I haven't been able to either Valerie and I've given up trying to. So I was probably mistaken that it was a *requirement* to do so. But I do think that if you see Made in USA, it was made 1960 or later...where this all began way above. ;)

Tom Neitzel · « **Reply #18 on:** February 09, 2015, 07:14:08 AM »

Mark, I don't disagree that if the words "Made In USA" are on a piece of cast iron cookware, it is likely that it was made post-1960. That's not the same as saying it was required that they had to be marked that way by regulation.

Since we all know that anything you find on the Internet is correct ;), it's important to be careful to pass along information that is as accurate as possible.

Why would the makers put these words on a piece? My first reason would be for export purposes, but if you sit and think about it, other than possibly to Canada and Mexico, I suspect the export market is small. Instead I suspect we see that to advertise the items as a US made piece to allow customers to buy American rather than one of the flood of imported goods that were/are coming in. Just speculation, not fact though. :)

How did people put a 1960 date on the phrase? By looking at the casting design, style and process. Looking at logos, catalogs, and shipping materials, even contacting the makers (they don't always know though.)

Do I have examples of the phrase on earlier cast iron pieces? Not off the top of my head, but I'll remember to look. Might take a few years though.

Just for fun, here's a picture of a 1926 Ford hubcap with the phrase.

Regarding Castelain, I did a search on the US Patent and Trademark site without any hits. There is a nice blond beer trademarked by that name though :D.

Valerie Johnson · « **Reply #19 on:** February 09, 2015, 08:30:51 AM »

Has the mark K2 been used by any other foundry or has any other foundry made a similar design

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Author Topic: Castelain Made in USA Skillet (Read 14903 times)