Cast Iron Cookware News (CICN) Re-Mastered

In the 1980s, the World Wide Web and eBay did not yet exist, so collectors of vintage cast iron cookware were often restricted to what they could find in their own general area. To seek new pieces for their collections beyond that required the expense of travel, the telephone, the US Mail, and contact with other known collectors.

In 1988, avid collector Steve Stephens embarked on a mission to to assist other similarly-interested aficionados in expanding the knowledge base of collectible vintage cast iron cookware and also to extend the reach of its fans. In January of that year, the first issue of Cast Iron Cookware News was self-published by Steve, using the technology available at the time-- an electric typewriter, cut-and-pasted photographs, and the services of a local Kinko's. 140 copies of that first issue were produced and distributed, and 50 hobbyists across the country signed up as paid subscribers. Five more, roughly bi-monthly issues rounded out the year's Volume I. CICN continued to be published semi-regularly until the spring of 1994.

Over the years, and with the advancement of technology, optically scanned copies of CICN became available from a handful of sources on the web. Locked into static Adobe Acrobat .pdf files, however, the newsletters were sometimes difficult reading on a computer screen, due to the landscape formatting required on some of their pages.

2013 marked the 25th anniversary of that first volume of CICN. Much of the content in those first and subsequent issues remains to this day a valuable resource for collectors old and new alike, both for the informational aspects and for the historical perspective afforded to today's readers of the state of the hobby at that time. To bring CICN completely into the Internet Age, the old, typewritten manuscripts are now-- with Steve's gracious permission-- reproduced here as HTML web documents.

Every attempt has been made to retain the look and feel of the original typewritten pages, but with some improvements:

- Navigation within and between newsletters. Page numbers referenced are active hyperlinks.
- The ability to click on landscaped pages and images to instantly rotate them for easier reading or viewing.

Additionally, present day amplifications and clarifications will be available where indicated by Notes special symbols.

Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. I No. 1, January 1988

  • Griswold Skillet Chart, Wagner muffin pans, Restoring iron cookware, part 1.

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. I No. 2, March 1988

  • Restoring iron cookware, part 2, Books on iron cookware, Wagner corn and muffin pans, Griswold skillet trademarks

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. I No. 3, June 1988

  • Rare Griswold waffle iron, Griswold waffle iron tag, Pamphlet-How To Sell Griswold Kitchen Utensils

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. I No. 4, July 1988

  • Griswold burglar alarm, Favorite display rack, Griswold muffin pan list

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. I No. 5, November 1988

  • Recipe, buttermilk egg bread for Griswold cake molds, Early Griswold advertising card, PAGOMA waffle iron, Wagner No.1 handled gem pan

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. I No. 6, March 1989

  • Victor skillets, Griswold trivet box, Griswold cast iron production list, Wagner muffin pans, Griswold skillet label, Tips on shipping cast iron

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. II No. 1 (#7), July 1989

  • Griswold No.1 and No.2 skillets, Wagner display racks, Wagner cast iron seasoning, Griswold skillet cover chart, Griswold catalog comparisons, Griswold ad and shipping bag

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. II No. 2 (#8), February 1990

  • Early waffle irons, Griswold Loaf Pan, Square Fry Skillet and covers, Reproductions, Toy size heart waffle iron, G.F.Filley-obituary and gem pans

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. II No. 3 (#9), March 1990

  • Griswold wheat and corn stick pans, Griswold sad iron heaters, Griswold chrome finished restaurant table service utensils, Griswold gas parlor stove

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. II No. 4 (#10), July 1990

  • Griswold cuspidors, Griswold food chopper stand, Griswold griddle for electric stoves, Early waffle iron with recipe, Making Favorite Hollow Ware, Griswold Transpeed units and cookware

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. II No. 5 (#11), November 1990

  • Buster waffle iron, Griswold rabbit mold reproduction, Griswold No00 waffle iron (pic.), Griswold hammered cookware, Griswold No0 skillet pattern, Griswold skillet, unmachined

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. III No. 1 (#12), June 1991

  • Griswold mismatched trademarks, Andresen wafer and waffle irons, Wagner toy cookware, early waffle iron pictured

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. III No. 2 (#13), January 1992

  • Griswold dutch oven rack, Favorite catalog pages, Griswold deep skillets, Griswold patent information

    Cast Iron Cookware News, Vol. III No. 3 (#14), March 1994

  • Some unusual iron, "Mountain Grade" skillets, Best waffle irons to use, G.F.Filley muffin irons, Additions to Muffin Pan List, Griswold Dutch ovens-seasoning/use