Help me identify my new cast iron skillet!

October 20, 2011 1:31 AM

I just picked up a cast iron skillet from a thrift store and need help identifying the manufacturer/year, if possible.

It's rather large, probably 16-20 inches in diameter and large enough to fit over two burners on my stove. It's got a pour spout on either side and a half oval hanging off the side opposite the handle. The markings on the bottom are a large letter "E" turned on its side above a smaller letter "F" at the top and a small "14" at the bottom. There is a heat ring close to the edge.

posted by punch_the_mayor to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

Is it possible that the letters (Fe) are to indicate that it's made of iron, and the 14 is the inches in diameter, instead of it being part of a manufacturer's mark?
posted by Houstonian at 4:11 AM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can you post a photo of the logo at the bottom?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:47 AM on October 20, 2011

Right now the only cast iron cookware maker in this country (USA) is Lodge and as such they brand the heck out of their stuff to make sure they capture the made in usa market. Since cast iron lasts virtually forever their are lots and lots of cast iron skillets around from the day when there were foundrys virtually everywhere iron was smelted. As these skillets were commodities and branding wasn't as important then as now there may not be any way to trace the manufacturer. In older skillets/cookware the only makers mark i have seen is in the middle of the bottom, and not always then. In addition to maybe not being marked at all, this position is prone to wear from heat and scrubbing and may become very, very faint over time.
posted by bartonlong at 11:09 AM on October 20, 2011

If you post a pic at the forum on www.griswoldandwagner.com, they can likely help you identify it.
posted by lawhound at 11:45 AM on October 20, 2011