Need help with ID of grandma's skillet

[Vance McAlister]

My mom has a skillet that she got from my grandmother, who got it from her mother (etc?), so it seems to go back to at least the 30's, maybe another generation earlier.  It has some significant gas damage on the bottom, so I don't know if there are any markings there.  We want to keep it in the family, and it would be nice to know when the family might have acquired it.  Thanks!

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[Valerie Johnson]

At first glance it looks like a Birmingham Stove & Range made skillet but I am not so sure about that, The handle shape is a little off and the number on top of the handle is not something I remember seeing on BSR skillets.

Then I thought maybe an unnotched(solid heat ring)Lodge.

The number 5 looks similar to the number 5 I have seen on some older Wagner pieces

It does have nice large pour spouts and it looks like the sides are relatively thin and that is has a nice smooth cooking surface.

Someone else may come along and help you out.
My guess is that the 1920's-1940's would be the time period it was made.

Are there any numbers/marks visible at all on the bottom?

[Vance McAlister]

Valerie, thanks for your help!  That is a picture my mom sent me, so I don't have it in hand to check the bottom more closely, but it all seems fairly gas-damaged, so I doubt I will find much there. One extra factor is that the family back then was very poor, so it could be one of those un-marked versions they sold in the five and dimes and through catalogs, etc. That might help explain why it seems like a bit of a mutt!   :)

[Valerie Johnson]

That might help explain why it seems like a bit of a mutt!

Who ever made it it looks like a nice skillet that can cook as well as any of those pedigreed skillets ;)

[Jim Glatthaar]

Vance, I commend you for keeping the skillet in your family.  Those old skillets were meant to cook in.  And I bet it will do an excellent job.

[Valerie Johnson]

Is this possibly an unmarked Martin, Maybe someone that is familiar with Martin will chime in.

[Donna Manion]

Have you thought about posting on the Cast Iron Collector website?  He is very knowledgeable and might be able to shed some light on your skillet. 

[Cheryl Watson]

Many times, there are situations when we just cannot answer or identify a piece.  I can not tell from the pictures provided if there are any markings on the bottom of the skillet.

I see the number on Top of the handle, the Heat Ring placement, and shape of the handle... but those are features that could be one of any number of makers.

Unfortunately, there are many, many more Cast Iron Cookware items that are unmarked and Unknown (likely forever), than there are "Identifiable".   


JMHO...  :) :)

While there are many websites out there that have become very proficient at data mining and data collection, that does not necessarily compute to 'knowledgeable". 

[Jim Glatthaar]

Cheryl is right, of course, we may never know who made it.  But it has a family pedigree and that would mean a lot to me.