Favorite Piqua Ware dating

M.Trainor

Member
I have looked on the logo section and tried searching this , with no success .

Just wondering how come Favorite Piqua is not dated . I know they made block logo and the Smiley and others . The old block logo it most likely their early ones (as it is with Griswold and Wagner) , but I was wondering when the Smiley logo was made .
 
I have no idea when there was a date tied down to it and according to all the research I have read it appears the experts can only summarize it was between 1910 & 1930. I'm thinking that it was one of those non documented things and it could be a part of the cast iron history we will never know.
 
They only produced hollow ware for a little under 20 years. Catalogs don't reveal anything in the way of trademark changes. About all that can be said is the block TM is the earliest and the "smiley" TM the latest.
 
Thanks Doug . I figured the block logo would be the earliest .

Up here in Canada you see quite a bit of Griswold , Wagner Ware , BSR and 3 notch Lodge . Only saw (and bought) two Vollrath , 1 Favorite Piqua Smiley (sitting on my stove at the moment) and never even saw a Wapak at all . I've only ever seen 2 ERIE skillets and they are both on the kitchen counter .

I like the older straight sided outside heat ring skillets .
 
They produced hollow ware for more than 20 years, found an article from 1910 on Favorite Stove and Range Piqua that stated production of hollow ware. Then there's the old waffle irons. I think it's time to put that idea of 1916 to bed. I don't believe they ever stopped making hollow ware to be honest.
 

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And this has to make a person scratch the noggin. I highly doubt this was made post 1916.
 

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The BB indicates the company had made hollow ware as early as the 1890s, and even before as it predecessor, Great Western Stove Works. But it notes that after the passing of its founder (in 1916), the son placed a greater emphasis on and expanded the line of hollow ware, and that's where the placement of 1916 on the pieces shown in the book comes from. The implication here, I think, is that prior to 1916, the company may have just been producing a limited number of items to include with its stoves and ranges.
 
Or perhaps jobbing some of it out?

Upwards of 90% of hollow ware manufactured in the USA back in the day was made in US prisons - and I find it interesting that Piqua is only 80 miles from the largest prison producer - Columbus, Ohio. Finding further evidence of a Canadian connection - if you would like to discuss at some point, let me know.

I believe there is more to Favorite than meets the eye.
 
I've read several articles where as the historians have differing opinions regarding "Favorite Pique Hollow Ware" production years and also in WAGS where Steve Stevens had lengthy discussions regarding this same subject.
I also noticed in the article of news paper clipping that the universal name of the company was "THE FAVORITE" which disagrees somewhat with the CI produced by Columbus Hollow Ware which produced skillets named as such (The Favorite). Yes, regarding the prison labor. That was what Columbus Hollow Ware did and according to the documentation found it was from a period between 1882 - 1902.
I find all of this interesting and can only expand my knowledge reading post like this one. I by no means disagree with anything since I only have the information available as it was documented by others doing research.
I own a #9 "THE FAVORITE" and found it to be a very nice skillet similar to those made by Griswold and WW during that time period and prison labor did a great job as far as I'm concerned.
 
I've read several articles where as the historians have differing opinions regarding "Favorite Pique Hollow Ware" production years and also in WAGS where Steve Stevens had lengthy discussions regarding this same subject.
I also noticed in the article of news paper clipping that the universal name of the company was "THE FAVORITE" which disagrees somewhat with the CI produced by Columbus Hollow Ware which produced skillets named as such (The Favorite). Yes, regarding the prison labor. That was what Columbus Hollow Ware did and according to the documentation found it was from a period between 1882 - 1902.
I find all of this interesting and can only expand my knowledge reading post like this one. I by no means disagree with anything since I only have the information available as it was documented by others doing research.
I own a #9 "THE FAVORITE" and found it to be a very nice skillet similar to those made by Griswold and WW during that time period and prison labor did a great job as far as I'm concerned.

Compare the fonts on some of the old "The Favorite" to Favorite Piqua Ware, some interesting similarities. "The Favorite" is also mentioned in a Findlay catalog from Canada - that's even more interesting.

I just want people to open their minds to possibilities. The idea of Favorite only making hollow ware post 1916 is dead.
 
They only produced hollow ware for a little under 20 years. Catalogs don't reveal anything in the way of trademark changes. About all that can be said is the block TM is the earliest and the "smiley" TM the latest.

1848 - W.C. Davis Company founded in Cincinnati, OH, reforming after 1865 as Great Western Stove Works.
1872-1888 - William K. Boal becomes controlling partner, renames foundry Favorite Stove Works after Davis' retirement in 1880.
1888 - Boal moves Favorite to Piqua, OH, and begins doing business there as Favorite Stove & Range Co. in 1889.
1916 - Boal dies at age 84, and is succeeded by son William S. Boal, who expands production of hollow ware.
1923 - William S. Boal becomes Chairman of the Board.
1928 - William C. Katker becomes 4th company president to succeed Boal.
1930s- The Great Depression hits, sales decline.
1933 - William S. Boal dies December 17, company reorganizes, liquidates, and, in 1935, closes permanently.
1935 - Foster Stove Company of Ironton, Ohio purchases patents, tooling and trademarks for the Favorite Range products.
1935 - Cookware line tooling and patterns sold to Chicago Hardware Foundry Co.
1937 - William C. Katker continues to operate remainder of the company as Favorite Manufacturing Co. making stoves, hollowware, and parts for the old Favorite Stove & Range Co. products at other local foundries.
1958 - FMC operations suspended after post-war decline in demand.
 
Thank you, RobM and RLMuse for the info. on Favorite Piqua. I have only 3 Favorite (#3 and #10) or CHF (#5) pans, and I really like them! Note the reference to the Boals as capitalists in the newspaper clipping; guess that's the positive connotation!
 
Thank you everyone , for your findings and expertise . I think it has shed some light on the Favorite Piqua Ware subject for many of us .

The very reason that I started the thread was that whenever searching for information on "good" or "best" cast iron (Griswold and Wagner Ware always mentioned first) , Favorite Pique and Wapak where always mentioned out of all the other possible makers of hollow ware . So I had always wondered about them and being in Canada I had never even seen a Favorite Piqua or Wapak myself .

But recently (about mid summer) I found and bought a #9 Favorite Piqua with the smiley logo . Im quite impressed with its quality and finish . It is very thin and light . I finally got it cleaned and started using it lately and I really like it .

I have never seen a Wapak yet , but I hope to find one one of these days to see what they are like .

This cast iron thing (might) be addicting :icon_rofl:
 
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