Griswold Manufacturing / GM Cleaver?

Bought a bunch of vintage/antique meat cleavers at our favorite flea market this summer, and among these was a 1/4" thick cast iron cleaver with a full-tang two-rivet oak handle. The blade is about the same size and shape as a brick (very slight curve) and it is marked near the handle "GM" in raised capital letters about 7/16" tall. I believe Griswold made meat cleavers way back in the day -- is this how they were marked if made by Griswold Manufacturing? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chris B

Although Griswold did produce some forms of cutting utensils, such as tobacco cutters, none of the old catalogs I have seen list any knives or cleavers.

Thanks, Doug -- I can't locate my Griswold & Wagner book or I would have looked this up myself. Another poster on your site showed a picture of some Griswold cast iron pieces he won at an auction that included two cleavers. I just assumed the cleavers were Griswold also. The only "GM" company I could find on the Internet, other than the obvious General Motors, was Griswold Manufacturing. Guess I'll put my cleaver on eBay and let the bidders tell me what I have! Chris B

Saw a guy at the flea market this weekend that had about 25 pieces of cast iron (mostly Made in USA, unmarked stuff). He had some really nice German kitchen knives, and about 10 giant cleavers. Some of the cleavers must have weighed a pound or so. Giant things, I never even thought to look for markings.

One looked big enough to de-bone a cow. 1/4" steel, 12" long, X 6" or so.

Should have bought one.

Next week...

We had a big old cleaver that was 3/8" thick X 6" wide blade, with a thick long handle. That thing was some heavy, would not want to swing that all day long. I sell them all the time. We also had a nice early hand forged one.

Those who know how to handle a 18 to 24 inch cleaver ARE HACKERS. Beware they are few and far between. They can dispatch a beef, "butt" they can't post. So were safe.
Nothing to do with a cast iron, long handled, spider skillet, in need of a flanged lid that fits. no.6, no.8, no,9 .....10, 11, and so on.
Where are the lids:icon_scratchchin: