"Sidney" #8

BStevens

New member
Made between 1897-1903, per the "Trademark" section on this wonderful site.

Curious as to how many of you find the "Sidney" in the wild? This is the first one I have come across after doing this for a couple of years.

By the way, that may be fire damage on the bottom of the pan. When I took it out of the etank (one day) the entire pan reeked of campfire smoke. Two days in the tank to get it clean. And yes, a fire damaged pan is very difficult to re-season. I finally got there, and it is a great pan. The fire damage did not affect the cooking surface.

I just wish people wouldn't try and clean their pans using a bonfire.
 

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Doesn't have the classic look of fire damage.
fire_ruined_pans3.jpg
 
I've found 3 in the wild so far. One beautiful "script" SIDNEY, and 2 SIDNEY HOLLOW WARE. I would agree, pretty rare.
 
Thanks Doug. I agree...and I assumed the bottom was only rust.

I could be wrong, and often am, (because I have always avoided pans with the classic damaged look you had shown), but there was no mistaking the campfire smell from the crust coming off, and the bottom of the pan has taken several rounds of seasoning just to start getting a finish on it.

I have never had a pan smell of smoke the way this one did.
 
My guess would be that it was just used over a fire, someone's camping skillet.
 
Just because someone cooks over wood fires doesn't automatically equil fire damage. And although I don't recommend it many Old Folk always used a wood heater to burn off the crud and reseason their pans. But because they cooked and heated with wood and knew how to judge the temperature of the coals they knew what they were doing. If you read up on how many charcoal bricketts to put on top and under a Dutch oven to reach 350 degrees it's surprising how few it takes. I sure wouldn't risk my Erie #9 to a campfire!
 
Russell...funny you say that about your Erie #9.

My #9 Erie is designated as "for oven use only". I don't even want to risk warping it on the stove. Overly cautious, maybe...but I don't want to risk it.
 
I'm glad your Sidney cleaned up and is now taking seasoning. I have a no. 8 that was in pretty good condition when I got it, and I love it. I use it carefully because the pans that age are light weight. The weight factor is getting more important to me as I get older.
This is the only Sidney I've found in about 30 years of collecting.
 
i have a few, i picked this one up last year or the year before. I try to grab them up when I find them. I like that they are lighter than most pans. I know of a little antique store that a ton of cast iron in the basement and has a few of them but the prices are way to high.

Your 'sidney' looks a lot like my arc logo 'wagner' #9... right down to the star maker's mark.
 
This is kind of a tomato, tomahto, potato, potahto kind of thing. The Sidney and the National were made by Wagner. The Sidney is believed to have been made in the SHW foundry when Wagner owned them. Quality old skillets, IMO.
 
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