Wagner Ware To Be or Not to Be that is the question

[Valerie Johnson]

Picked up this nice little 8" skillet a while back, has been in the lye tank for a while and I just got around to pulling it our and finishing cleaning and seasoning, The skillet was a caked on mes when I got it and I was pretty sure it was a Wagner Ware but now I am second guessing myself, It has all the characteristic of a Wagner Ware but it does not have a size number on the top of the handle. The underside of the handle looks like a lot of marked Wagner pieces I have which have the same style handle, The small dot and the dash mark.
Any opinions.
 Skillet measures 8 1/16" across top, Has very nice smooth cook surface

[Cheryl Watson]

I would agree.. Older unmarked HR Wagner... :)

[Cheryl Watson]

If BOTTOM diameter = 7 1/2", then would be Size 6....

[Valerie Johnson]

Thanks Cheryl, The bottom diameter is 6 3/4" The top diameter 8 1/6".

Is there any type of timeline on different style Wagner handle designs, This type of handle is typically seen (my opinion) on smooth bottom skillets. The thing that has me is no size number on either the bottom of the skillet or the top of the handle, Did Wagner have an economy line they produced for sellers, I remember seeing a King Cole display that I believe was Wagner skillets, were these marked or unmarked.

[Cheryl Watson]

6 3/4" Bottom Diameter = Size 5 according to 1927 Catalog, which only provided Bottom Dimensions.  :)

[Jeff Friend]

In Wagner’s Catalog No. 20, the National line of hollowware is described as having the objective of filling the demand for a good, low-priced utensil:
“Although not equal to our regular skillet, it is neat and well finished, and equal to many so-called extra finished skillets which certain manufacturers are offering.”

At a convention a few years ago (Chattanooga, I think) John Wright made the statement during his presentation that an early Wagner catalog suggested that all of their wares were marked with the Wagner name.  We know that isn't exactly correct when you consider all of the unmarked Wagner gem pans.  Maybe one of the Wagner collectors can add something more definite.

John also gave a presentation on the evolution of handle styles, but I believe it focused on Griswold's handles.

[Dwayne Henson]

Wish I could remember the date on the catalog John showed us in Chattanooga, but it stated something along the lines that one could tell if it was a Wagner, because they marked every piece they made.

[Valerie Johnson]

because they marked every piece they made.

But what did they mark them with...a name or an identifying mark or characteristic