Asian Junk?

[Frank Dimos]

Don't even remember where I got this. Thought it was later BSR, later concluded it was Asian, finally redid it as it's been a SLOW summer. What do you think? Narrow spouts, clearly ground on the inside, ridge handle to the side wall, no heat ring. I've had BSR chicken fryers without a heat ring, never a regular skillet without one.

[Duke Gilleland]

At first glance I thought BS&R.

[Frank Dimos]

Thanks Duke. Have you seen BSR skillets, other than chicken fryers, without a heat ring? I also thought the handle opening and shape beyond the ridge looked a little funky.

[Dwayne Henson]

No idea

[Tom Penkava]

Personally, I think it is Korean.  Here is a Red Mountain #7 for comparison.
Different fonts on the 7 and letters, pour spouts different.

[Tom Penkava]

And here is a Century #7 for comparison.
Also note the difference in the points of the handle "scoop" and sharpness of the handle ridge.
Then here is a #8B-7 Chicken Fryer smooth bottom to round out the comparisons.

[Tom Penkava]

Two exceptions to the belief that only chicken fryers were smooth bottoms did turn up back about 2008, a # 10 that Dwayne posted and a #3 that Tom Reisdorf had.

[Frank Dimos]

The number 10 you show is interesting. The number is in the right place relative to my 7, no size markings, and the spouts look small, just like mine. The number 3 looks like it has larger spouts. The ones with heat rings--I've had plenty of those, including the old Red Mountains. Most of the Korean models I've seen look similar to ground Lodge 3 notches. I just don't know. Any old catalogs show these smooth bottom BSR's?

[Frank Dimos]

One other thing. I copied the 10 and then magnified it so could see the bottom side of the top of the side wall at the skillet rim-it extends slightly from the side wall, just like mine. It the 10 is a BSR, I'm becoming more convinced that my 7 may be as well.

[Dwayne Henson]

Problem we're having is the family says no smooth bottoms, and no documentation of BSR making  a smooth bottomed series. Chicken fryers, yes. Small advertising type skillets, yes.

[Frank Dimos]

OK, then here's what makes sense to me. Mine, and probably Dwayne's 10, are machine molded and have narrow spouts, smooth bottoms with reinforced rims and a straight handle ridge to the sidewall. Mine (and I assume Dwayne's) is ground flat on the inside--nice cooking surface. Family says, "No BSR flat bottomed skillets, other than chicken fryers." All this leads me to believe that these skillets are late 60's-early 70's construction, and probably Asian copies (most likely Taiwan given the period) based on BSR skillets AND Wagner Ware skillets, in an attempt to combine the best attributes of both in a machine made setting. China doesn't make sense to me because of the quality of the skillet and the ground interior, in addition to the timing--China had not come to the forefront yet in the 60's-70's.

Problem we're having is the family says no smooth bottoms, and no documentation of BSR making  a smooth bottomed series. Chicken fryers, yes. Small advertising type skillets, yes.

[Cheryl Watson]

Frank Dimos, there are also known 'pretenders'....

http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/forum/index.php?topic=281.0

(Please Note: the link above is on a Members Only Board).

Look at the countries of origin.

I also assume that, the pretenders were also made without the 'Country' cast into the piece, and may have only appeared on the Label... at some points in time.

And, these smooth bottoms have also been found with original Labels... indicating 'MARTIN', although I would like to see more of those original label pieces before arriving at a concrete conclusion.  IMO, Martin did a wee bit of copying of other foundries, in their history also  :) :)

Just my opinion...  ;) ;)

[Valerie Johnson]

If it looks and cooks as good as an original is it really junk?
Yes...not collectible but certainly good for using, I have several pieces that are most likely Asian made that I use, mostly for cooking outside on my BBQ Grill on the grill and on the side burner and I use one for baking skillet biscuits and corn bread in the oven in the house.

[Frank Dimos]

You're absolutely right Valerie, I should be more careful with my characterizations. I've seen some pans from Taiwan that were dead flat, well machined, and well finished.

[Frank Dimos]

You're right of course. This one is just such an oddball, given it's a smooth bottom skillet with a BSR style handle!

Frank

Frank Dimos, there are also known 'pretenders'....

http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/forum/index.php?topic=281.0

(Please Note: the link above is on a Members Only Board).

Look at the countries of origin.

I also assume that, the pretenders were also made without the 'Country' cast into the piece, and may have only appeared on the Label... at some points in time.

And, these smooth bottoms have also been found with original Labels... indicating 'MARTIN', although I would like to see more of those original label pieces before arriving at a concrete conclusion.  IMO, Martin did a wee bit of copying of other foundries, in their history also  :) :)

Just my opinion...  ;) ;)