4/19/13 Flea Market Finds

S

SteveL

Member
Roamed around a huge, local flea market Thursday that I usually get a few decent finds at. When I say huge, I mean HUGE!! It's a 14 screen drive-in theater, indoor and outdoor flea markets, circus rides and more. Thursday is "free yard sale day" for sellers. There was the usual pieces that I'm not interested in (imports, modern, non-vintage, too rough of condition) and just when I thought it was going to be a bust day, I came upon a woman that had 6 pieces laid out. Three were junk or imports. She wanted $5.00 each for them. Told her I'd take the other three if she made me a deal so she let me have them for $13.00. One #6 Wagner Ware, one #8 Lodge 3 Notch and one Lodge 3 Notch Chef's Pan. No flat surface to check them and when I got home found that the Chef's Pan had a bit of a wobble :( . Not too bad though. The other two were perfectly flat. Not too bad of condition either. All the of the "new kids" are in the (lye) bath. Here's links to see them. $13.00 a pretty good deal? I think so.

http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... %204-19-13
http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... %204-19-13
http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... %204-19-13

I'll update with after pics when they're finished.

Thanks for looking,
Steve
 
I think I've decided that 3-notch Lodges, pre-"Made In USA" are probably the best value, most easily-found user pieces-- first quality, but with no maker name for sellers to get greedy over. Same for the BSR Red Mountains like the #10 I gave $15 for.

Can you see Wagner thru all that crud? I know it has all the earmarks otherwise, but can't tell from the photos.

I don't think I've ever seen a Lodge chef's skillet before.
 
Haven't used a 3-notch yet but I think they would be pretty good. Really smooth surface. And you're right, if it's got a name on it, especially Griswold or Wagner, folks think they have GOLD instead of IRON. Nice find on the #10 Red Mountain for $15!! I have only one BSR and it's a #5. I do however have a #10 of unknown make. On bottom it says 12-7/16 IN., below that is a screwhead, then below that is 10. Inset heat ring. Might be BSR.

Nope, can't see anything through the crud but I'm sure it's a Wag. Have a #6 already and it's an exact match. Will be shocked if it isn't. :shock:

I searched eBay and found only one vintage Lodge Chef's skillet that didn't sell for $40. Only difference is the one on eBay had CS at 12:00 and BM at 6:00 incised. Mine has nothing that I can see...yet. Here's a link to the eBay listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Lodge-1 ... 4ac32be88b
It's different. The wobble really isn't very bad so I may keep as a user.

I think my favorite is a #8 Victor that turned out absolutely beautiful.

Steve
 
The older 1-notches are both slick and lighter, but when found, are often in bad shape.

I do however have a #10 of unknown make. On bottom it says 12-7/16 IN., below that is a screwhead, then below that is 10. Inset heat ring. Might be BSR.
Click to expand...
That's a BSR Century series. Screwhead means post-automation, but those are still good pans. I have a chicken fryer of same I use quite a bit.

Re: the Wagner. I thought I had a small logo Griswold from what I could see, and that didn't turn out so well. :roll:

The seller of the CS on ebay registered here, but has never posted. If you cook on gas, the wobble won't matter.

I have a #8 Victor, early inset heat ring, as well, and it's a nice little pan, smooth and level and not abused at all for its age.
 
I have one #8 Lodge Single Notch I found at the same Flea Market for $5.00 two weeks ago. Same day I found the Lodge Hammered 4 in 1 Chicken Fryer for $5.00. It was in fairly decent shape and definitely worth the $5.00 spent. I agree, they are lighter and smooth. Here's pics.

http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... le%20Notch

The #10 BSR Century is a good user. Thanks for the ID on it. I thought it might be but wasn't sure. It was rough when I got it and one of the first pans I tried to restore. I was using stainless steel and brass brushes then. Not anymore. The cooking surface turned out uneven :oops: . I may try to redo it someday. I like it for bacon as the whole slice fits without going up the sides. Here's pics (and don't laugh :lol: ).

http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... %20Century

I saw your Guess What's Under The Crud post. You never know what you're going to find when they're that caked. I've had a few like that too. Here's one I believe is a #8 Unmarked Vollrath I got for cheap. One of 4 pans for $20 off Craigslist. The other 3 were a #3 Import that turned out to have a crack under the rust, the #5 BSR and the #10 BSR. I wasn't happy with what I found underneath. :x Still cleaned up fairly good though.

http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... 20Vollrath

Unfortunately I don't have gas. The HOA won't allow it. Standard electric coils for me. An old one at that! :cry:

I think we have the same #8 Victor. It was pretty rough when I got it but cleaned up very well. It's lighter and I think just as smooth as the higher priced standard Griswolds. I agree, they are a nice pan. Here's the last of the pics.

http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... 8%20Victor

Thank you again Doug for your expertise. I've learned a lot by reading this site and your posts.

Steve
 
Nice job Steve. Great pictures

Thanks for sharing.

I picked up a #6 yesterday at a resale shop. I think it is BSR but I can't be sure until I get it out of the lye bath. The cooking surface looks pretty good. I'll post pictures when its done.

I went into an "antique shop" (actually a resale shop that was pretty clean)that had several pieces of CI. He had a Wagner 1401?? which I think is the top of a double skillet ($20). I passed on that as I have no idea how hard it would be to find the bottom piece. He also had a Wagner 9" square, 3 piece waffle iron ($20) very much like the one on p 252 of the BB. I may go back for that one after seeing the BB value.

Keep on searching..

Jack
 
I don't go nuts trying to get out that dark staining that sometimes remains even after electro. If straight vinegar and a SS scrubber don't take it down, I figure it will blend in with use. That #10 BSR still has its milling marks-- not that bad, all things considered.

Coil electrics usually aren't a problem for a minor warp, only glass.

My Victor is one of the older, inset heat ring, just VICTOR, the pattern # and the size #. Yours is a fully marked. Would like to find one of those for $5.
 
Thanks Jack. Greatly appreciated. Sounds like you had some great finds yesterday. Prices look fairly reasonable too. Even if you can't find the bottom for the Wag double skillet, I see halves, either top or bottom, on eBay all the time. The 9" square Wag sounds interesting as does the waffle iron. I don't have any of either. Looking forward to seeing the results of the #6 BSR. They have nice, smooth surfaces. Good user pans. I have a no name Dutch Oven in the electrolysis tank that's ready to come out now. Just hadn't had time to pull it today. When I do, a Wag Dutch Oven (1268 D) will go in.

Steve
 
Doug D. said:
I don't go nuts trying to get out that dark staining that sometimes remains even after electro. If straight vinegar and a SS scrubber don't take it down, I figure it will blend in with use. That #10 BSR still has its milling marks-- not that bad, all things considered.

Coil electrics usually aren't a problem for a minor warp, only glass.

My Victor is one of the older, inset heat ring, just VICTOR, the pattern # and the size #. Yours is a fully marked. Would like to find one of those for $5.
Click to expand...

Hey Doug,
Sorry, I wasn't ignoring you. Just didn't see that you had posted before I replied to Jack. Yeah, I've had fairly good luck with just the SS after lye and again after electro. In the beginning I was electro only and if it didn't get 100% clean I went at it with the brushes. Got a little too aggresive with them.

Minor warps haven't been an issue, larger warps when discovered under the crud or rust...problem. Hot spot when cooking. Bought a #10 Wag Ware that ended up being a bad spinner with a large dip in the middle after crud removal.

I know the Victor you have. Very nice pan. Wish I could find a Victor for $5.00 too!! The Victor was about $20-$25.

Do you agree with my assessment of what I think is an unmarked Vollrath? And do you think the heavy pitting on the bottom with affect cooking with it (hot spot...I haven't tried using). I ask because I'll be giving it to a friend.

http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/Steve ... 20Vollrath

Thanks,
Steve
 
I'd say Vollrath is the best assumption. It should still cook OK.

My old Victor was about $22. I was just saying I'd like to find anything really nice... for $5!

[rimg:214i4kpv]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cqAsKfLWYBs/UKLo_nRruOI/AAAAAAAAAc8/-cWEFJ9-mV8/s512/IMAG0716.jpg[/rimg:214i4kpv]

I do have a medium SS brush I've used for a long time with no ill effects. Sometimes it gets a spot a little too clean if I spend too much time on it, but never a scratch or swirl, or color transfer like brass will. It's this one:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Workforce-3- ... /100246044
 
From the bristle spacing, I'd expect those to be maybe a bit too stiff. The one I linked to is good for those dark spots, getting the crud out of lettering and small kernel detail in corn stick pans.
 
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