Wood & Bishop - Bangor, ME? Any information would be appreciated.

PMDavis

New member
Acquired a beautifully-light pan in great condition this past weekend. After restoring, could make out the markings underneath.

Pictures attached.

Anyone familiar with this brand?
 

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At last, a piece of CI I know something about!

I live 45 minutes from Bangor and you'd think that W&B cookware would be everywhere, but I see dozens of Griswolds for every one piece of W&B.

They were in business from the late 1800s to very early 1900s and I think the company is better known for its line of beautiful wood stoves than for cookware. I'm staying warm by my Ideal Clarion parlor stove right now. They made a lot of larger cookware pieces, providing woods camps with the capacities to cook for groups of hungry loggers.

They're listed in the Foundry Database on this website, but a great short history can be found at www.westsidewatchbangor.org. You'll find some pictures at www.blackskyeiron.com, a local restoration and sales business, with a personal interest in Maine C/I.

Yes, I have one just like yours along with a tea kettle and an ever-popular French roll pan. I love the detailing on the skillet, the handle size and how my thumb fits right into the notch where that "8" is.
 
Hey Mike,
I went to both those sites and found nothing about Wood & Bishop. Can you give a more specific address?
 
Thank you all (especially Mike) for the information. It was very helpful. As I'm aware, many collectors are just as interested in the story of the hunt as much as the prize, here's mine -

I just started cooking with the typical Lodge cast iron last year (gasps subside). After watching some videos and reading, I learned (like everyone else) that the cast iron of today is nothing like those before. I looked out on Craigslist for a cheapest few pans I could find for a run through the cleaning process. Right off the bat from that set, I came out with a 'Good Health' pan that was estimated by research and responses to be around 1930's. Also scored some more recent Wagner Sydney -0-'s that I cleaned up and placed back out on Craigslist. I went out and looked through some local indoor flea markets - low and behold, found someone with several pans. Still being new to this, I couldn't remember all the facts and manufacturers to look for so I based my purchase on pans that weren't warped and seemed in good condition - leaving with 3. After the rust was cleared, low and behold, a Wapak 1920's and this Wood and Bishop. Needless to say, I'm hooked now. The discrepancy is that I was informed by my wife that we now have enough cast iron pans. After I referred her to the closest dictionary and the word 'collect', I compromised with her plea of limited cabinet space and purchased some decorative wall hooks from Amazon. And yes... more hooks than I currently have pans - just so she truly understands the goal. Safe to say when/if I cease this hobby, that the W&B, Wapak and Good Health pans are staying in this house - as I sit here eating my morning eggs and bacon cooked in the W&B pan. :tasty:
 
Love this site. I was just finished cleaning an identical Wood and Bishop #8 not as clearly marked as the posted one. Several casting flaws but still a beautiful pan.
 
Acquired a beautifully-light pan in great condition this past weekend. After restoring, could make out the markings underneath.

Pictures attached.

Anyone familiar with this brand?

very nice pan. I have a similar #8 W&B skillet , and a French roll pan that I use almost daily on my Wood and Bishop cook stove in Maine. They are a quite uncommon brand to find. Yours has led a gentle life it appears
 
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