New Member Wonders About This Skillet ?

WR Thomas

Member
I got this skillet over the weekend and I don't really know what it is! It looks like a Vollrath, walks like an old National/Wagner, sounds like a Victor and seems a little ERIE.... There is a small raise letter F as you can see in the picture, seems to be the only markings. Anyone seen one like this before? Blacklock I say....
 

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I'm curious as to where the recent speculations of certain skillets being either Vollrath or National are coming from. Nothing here to indicate Vollrath. The reinforcement rib isn't nearly long enough, the end of the top of the handle has no "stretched" look. Wagner foundrymen didn't use molder's marks on any of its pieces, let alone Nationals, nor did Griswold or Vollrath for that matter. And, even though no one still knows what a Blacklock skillet really looks like, this one possesses none of the surmised characteristics other than the molder's mark.
 
I understand Doug, I was making point to those characteristics or lack there of. Comparing some of those manufactures' similarities like the heat ring the sconce were the handle meets the skillet and such.... and I should've followed the Blacklock statement with an LOL... I do so value members opinions, as I've learned a lot here and being exposed to the members' decades of experience has helped me build my own knowledge base . Do you have any idea what it could be Doug?
 
Instead of chastising the individual for posting what he thought the cast iron piece might be perhaps we could educate him as to why certain characteristics are not correct and what the correct characteristic would be if it was in fact that manufacturer. I don't personally know enough about handle characteristics among other things to do that but I'll stand up for a new member that I feel was being disparaged for his thoughts.
 
You'll note I did not say "you're wrong about all those things", and leave it at that. I think if you re-read it, you'll note that it was explained why each of the characteristics surmised were not applicable.

For further reference, the identifying characteristics of most 20th century, known makers' unmarked pans are described and shown at: http://www.castironcollector.com/unmarked.php
 
Well here's a two part post, relating partially to my first post of trying to identify a skillet I picked up last weekend and showing one I pick up this morning..... So, on my way back home today I stopped in at an estate sale and found a lone skillet hanging on the wall just above the stove. Just from looking at its profile I thought it was a nice looking skillet and it could be an old one too, the price was right as well ($10). It was kind of dark inside the house, but once I got the skillet outside my thoughts were confirmed, a nice WAPAK #9....

In doing a bit of research to refresh my memory and maybe pin a date to this WAPAK skillet, I found where WAPAK used the same type sconce where the handle meets the skillet. Check pictures of my previous post and compare. Also, it is apparent that WAPAK used raised molders mark lettering as seen in the link below.... what do you think? Could my other skillet be a WAPAK?

http://castironguys.com/product/wap...-pattern-mark-c-1903-1926-unique-and-special/
 

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Wapak foundrymen didn't use molder's marks on skillet bottoms, though. The handle reinforcement pad is also not proprietary enough to narrow down to an exact maker. Consider, though, that Wapak notoriously used the skillets of other makers (primarily Griswold Erie) as patterns or as the basis of their patterns. And that is whose pattern maker's mark is on (in) the Wapak skillet shown in the link. When your Wapak is cleaned up, I would examine it closely for an Erie ghost. It is also highly likely the foundry which made your first skillet copied from a competitor.
 
I'm just glad to be finding some of the older stuff finally. In the last couple of months I've found some really nice skillets; this nice #9 WAPAK, a #9 National, a #8 MSR, a #7 Excelsior, little #3 Favorite PW and two unknown maker's (a #8 and a #9) with skillet surfaces smooth as glass.... Cast-iron heaven! I can hardly wait to cook with these skillets..... I'll pull the WAPAK out of the lye bath this weekend, I'll look for any ghost marking on the WAPAK as I clean her up. Thanks for the info Doug.... Oh, and here is the other unknown maker skillet. Have you ever seen that large cursive type '9' on a skillet before?
 

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Just got this little gem out of the lye tank. Cleaned up nicely, well used but was never abused. Doug, you were right "ERIE" ghost image is there.... I would probably never sell this skillet, but does the ghost image make it more valuable?
 

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More interesting, but not necessarily more valuable. Depends upon to whom, I guess. There's also a ghost of the Griswold p/n. Not sure what the H looking mark would be, though. Known letter maker's marks don't include an H, AFAIK.
 
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