skillet with outer heat ring, raised "8" on the bottom, no other marks

[Lewis Downey]

Any idea about the maker, age, or value of this piece? It has a raised 8 on the bottom. It could be the letter "B" but it more closely resembles the numeral "8".

Is the raised number a molder's marks or the size. It is not at exactly 6:00 which seems like the place to put it if it were the size. On the other hand the skillet is pretty much a size 8.

The handle has a hilt (for lack of knowing what else to call it). The hilt is not perfectly symmetrical. It curves just a little in the clockwise direction. Why a hilt? Was the handle added later or part of the pattern for the skillet? Was it added as an engineering decision to make the handle stronger, then styled to the degree appropriate?

Pics are clearly mid-cleaning. The LB has removed enough gunk to reveal the details of the piece. This is a favorite moment in a restoration for me. It reminds me of watching a black-and-white photograph emerge in the developer. Perry talks about putting a piece in the LB and letting it sit unattended for weeks or months.  So far I cannot muster that much restraint. I have to check it until I can tell what is going on with it :-).

[Valerie Johnson]

To me it looks like an ERIE skillet, especially the distinct reinforcing pad where the handle meets the skillet, Take a look at this link and you will see what I mean.Go down to page 13
ftp://http://www.wag-society.org/guest/ERIESkilletArticle.pdf

[Russell Ware]

Lewis, take a look at page 12 of the Blacklock/Lodge PDF.
I'd like to see some photos when it is cleaned and seasoned. It looks like a nice old skillet.

[Lewis Downey]

Thanks Russell.

Yes that's it. It is a nice old skillet, except for the long diagonal crack near one of the pouring spouts. I cleaned it, put some oil on it, but did not season it. I'm holding onto it as an example of 1) a Blacklock 2) a cracked sidewall.

Worst of all, I worry that I caused the crack. My lye barrel is shallow. I often stack several pieces in it at once. I cannot be positive that I didn't stack a slightly larger piece inside of the Blacklock and then load more pieces on top of that - stressing the sidewall outward. On the other hand I might not have caused the crack even there was extra weight on the Blacklock. The crack could have been there all along. You can see it in the pics posted in March.

It's just with such a thin sidewall... it seems possible that I contributed to the demise of a fine old skillet.