gatemarked #7 griddle

[Lewis Downey]

Hello,

This old skillet fell into my lap for free recently. It has a crack that runs all the way through -- not sure if the crack shows up in the pics. The crack starts at the handle and runs about 4" toward the center of the skillet. Is it worth cleaning? If you cooked on it would anything terrible happen? 

Any idea who manufactured it or is age?  If you are able to identify the manufacturer or age, I would love to know the clues that made the difference.

It's very light weight and about 9" across at the widest point. There is a raised 7 at the base of the handle.  The heat ring is about 6 1/2" across.

Thanks in advance!

[Keith Rumgay]

Lewis  I would not cook in it for the chance of breaking in half. Age late 1800s, as for the maker ???.
Value ? "its cracked"   :-/
I would clean it and hang  on the wall just because
My Granddaughter  say's its COLD there in Raleigh but then she grew up in LA.
   

[Lewis Downey]

Keith, check in with your granddaughter in a few minutes. With a reference point like LA she may be forced to go off about our schizo-weather. It *is* cold and wet today; we're braced for freezing rain and sleet tonight. Yesterday 70+ degrees. Day before yesterday, 40's and 50's. Day before that, there was ice on the ground. :D

Thank you for your comments about the gate-marked griddle.