Gate Marked Skillet / Posnet with 3 Feet

[ErinL]

Good morning all!

I just found this forum and am super excited to learn from you all. I've really got the bug for collecting in the last year or so.

A family member recently gifted me her late mother's cast iron collection. There are some Griswold and Wagner skillets, some Griswold gem pans and a BS&R corn bread skillet. I've been able to date and identify everything except this little pan:

https://screencast.com/t/RWTz5Aqo97Je
https://screencast.com/t/AOEGyn10
https://screencast.com/t/kgFz4WJ1f
https://screencast.com/t/JS9aBrTUAQX


It's 10 inches across the top edge to edge. There's a gate mark on the back, so I'm thinking it's old. I know these are hard to date, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts. The handle feels unique in that most I see have a hole, this one does not. The feet are not even, in fact, the gate mark sits lower than one of them.

The woman who owned it lived to be 101 and the house she was living in was also old. This pan was found in Maine. I'm thinking late 19th century.

I'd like to strip it, and I usually go the self cleaning oven route, but I worry about damaging it. I don't have access to the electrolysis method, so I'm thinking easy off oven cleaner.

Any thoughts, info or suggestions?

[David P Fortin]

Neat old skillet. I have never seen anything like that but it looks like it was made for use on a wood or coal stove. It doesn't sit level on the feet because the center casting sits too far down but this would not bother anything if it was used on a coal or wood stove. I think it's really old.

[GTurner]

Gate marked pieces are difficult to date. Pre 1890 is generally given. Maker unknown.

[ErinL]

Thank you both!