First Purchase - Wagner Square Skillet 1218D

Bob P.

Member
Picked up my first piece (after passing on two Griswold's earlier this week). It's a Wagner Ware Sidney O Square Skillet 1218 D:

https://i.imgur.com/FJIMGiA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/iSmkQpz.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tFv1IkK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CaqJSGh.jpg

Six dollars at a flea market. :)

It looks pretty clean, at least to my untrained eye. And it's super smooth and flat. Much, much smoother inside than the cheap Lodge skillet we have for camping.

So a couple of questions -

* How old is this thing? It doesn't say 'Made in USA' so I'm guessing it's pre-1960. It has the Sidney O mark so it's pre-1959. But it's 1218 'D', and it has that sculpted handle...I'm guessing that puts it towards the end of the Sidney O run? In the 50's? Or might it be older than that? When were the D's manufactured?

* I think it's clean enough that it doesn't need the lye bath route I've read about. Should I just scrub it up with barkeeps friend and re-season it?

Thanks guys. My wife was very impressed with this pan. Win! :)
 
Other Wagner pieces with this handle design, marking style, and TM are dated 1940s-50s. The RB somewhat dubiously places the slightly larger 1220 model as 1960s. The D is not significant as to date of manufacture.
 
Other Wagner pieces with this handle design, marking style, and TM are dated 1940s-50s. The RB somewhat dubiously places the slightly larger 1220 model as 1960s. The D is not significant as to date of manufacture.

Thanks!

I've done a bit more digging and now understand that the letter D represents the particular pattern used for this casting. So it's just a way for the manufacturer to track product to a particular mold, right?

Appreciate the help. Lots of new things to learn.

The pan is in the oven being seasoned now (round #2). It's getting darker and shinier. :)
 
Three coats of seasoning and it's slick as glass. Cooked up some bacon this morning for Mother's Day, it came out perfect.

2bjLnmQm.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2bjLnmQ.jpg

It feels good to put something old into service again. :)
 
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