Chromed/Nickled Hammered Griddle

[jwright]

I thought I had seen one of these in another posting, but I couldn't find it today.  Anyone have any idea who might have made this and when?

I'm hoping the numbers on the bottom are "999" and not "666" -- although I have been told there was a "666" ranch somewhere around here. (central Texas)

No other markings other than the numbers.  The cooking surface is a bit of a mess, but I'm hoping it is a lot of cooked-on stuff.  Haven't had a chance to put it in the bath yet.

Three postings, one pic apiece...

Jerry Wright

[jwright]

Second pic...

Jerry W.

[jwright]

Third pic...

Jerry W.

[Will Person]

Chicago Hardware Foundry Company.



Will 8-)

[Steve_Stephens]

Chicago Hardware Foundry Company.



Will 8-)

Yes, agree.  At least as far as we know.  I think these (or some of them) were sold through Sears.  When you see that very deep hammering it's the high end quality of CHF.  I love the skillets, chicken fryers and dos that CHF made with the DEEP hammering.  They also had a line of not as high quality (or price) with shallower hammering but basicallly the same pans.

Steve

[Mike Bohannon]

Steve, do you know what size skillets they made with the deep hammering, I've not ran across any?  I've got an 8 DO and 8 Chicken Fryer with the deep hammering, any other sizes in those?  Mike

[jwright]

Super!

Thank y'all for the quick information.  I hope to clean it up and use it pretty quickly.

Do you have any idea of when it might have been made and if it is chrome or nickel?

Thanks again.

Jerry W.

[Steve_Stephens]

Mike, I think they made the 3, 5, and 8 with deep hammering.  The 40-41 Sears catalog shows these deep hammered pans as being "Best Made" (triple ground) and "Merit" (double ground and not as fine grained as Best Made).  Listed for Best Made are 5, 8, and 10 skillets and covers for the two larger sizes.  And, for Merit, they show 3, 5, 8, and 10 with covers for the two larger sizes.  I don't know if the Merit grade is the deeply or not so deeply hammered pans.  Someone here said the 3 was made in the deep hammered size.  Also No.8 chicken fryers and dutch ovens in Best Made and Merit grades. Maybe someone else can fill in some more sizes.  When heat treated in an oven to 450 deg. these pans take on a very nice dark color.  A set would be great looking.  I don't know if these pans were also sold through other outlets than at Sears or if they were a contract item from Sears only.

Steve

[Mark Ritter]

Hi Jerry. I also have a griddle like yours marked 999 and I believe that Will is right on this one as being a CHF. I also own a #3 and #5 deep hammered skillet but they are marked with a small line between the the numbers and appear to be made by someone else. I also own a #7 and a chicken fryer with a cover. These are marked 87 for the skillet and 89 for the chicken fryer pan, 88 for the cover. As Steve states, these two don't seem to be as deeply hammered as the first two.

[Duke Gilleland]

The ranch you speak of would be the 6666's and it's in West Texas at Guthrie.

[Ed Allspaugh]

There is the #9- 889, and #10- 8810. Strange thing is the 9 has a HR, the rest of this series I have are smooth bottom. I do have the cover for the 10 it is a nice looking skillet. Have mixture of deep and shallow hammering, the 9 &10 is deep hammered. These 999 griddles are most commonly plated, seen maybe one in black iron.  

[jwright]

Thanks a lot for all the info.

Duke, thanks for the info on the 6666 ranch.  I found it difficult to believe someone would name a ranch 666, but "mark of the beast" aside, I guess ranches have been won or lost by a lesser hand in poker.

Ed and Mark -- thank you for the info on the other varieties of this "brand" of cast iron.

As I've said before -- around here, I seldom run into anything more interesting than the occasional breadstick pan or gem pan, especially anything that is marked in any way other than "Made in USA".  And if it IS marked, no matter how rusty or grungy it is, they want double the value of it.  ( I passed up a #3, small logo, Griswold skillet today that the guy had originally wanted $15 for -- and it was so rusty, I didn't see it cleaning up without a bunch of pitting.  He was totally insulted when I offered less than his asking price.) Old and rusty doesn't equate valuable -- at least most of the time...

Thanks again for the valuable info.  More knowledge for when I DO see something worth having.

Jerry Wright

[Ed Allspaugh]

Heres a couple pix of the 10.

[Ed Allspaugh]

The casting flaw on the bottom must have been common. The other 10 I have has the same flaw.

[jwright]

WOW!!  That's an impressive set of cast iron!

Thank you for posting those pictures.  That is really neat.

Jerry W.