Strange find waffle iron

John K

Member
I had to pick up this waffle iron. I was in the ground for years and had a waffle in it. The waffle turned to dust when touched. Totally rusted and no name visible. This has to be my favorite find even if it worthless. After a night in my electrolysis bath, I was able to see a name. I was shocked to find anything.
It was made by Conway from Albany NY. Any info would be helpful.
 

Attachments

  • Albany NY 1.jpg
    Albany NY 1.jpg
    63.1 KB · Views: 72
  • Albany NY 2.jpg
    Albany NY 2.jpg
    76 KB · Views: 66
  • Albany NY 3.jpg
    Albany NY 3.jpg
    60.7 KB · Views: 68
That is hilarious!! I can almost hear the early 20th century housewife telling her husband to "make your own @&%!# waffles, then!!" just before tossing the whole shebang out the door.
 
Update on cleaning: The name may be GORWRY or GOEWRY. The cleaning is a work in progress. I am only cleaning one side at this point. I am hoping the other side will be clearer. This piece is more fun than any other piece I have found so far.
 
Thanks again Doug for identifying the iron as J.A. Goewey in Albany NY. When I am finished cleaning this piece it will go right next to my Griswold waffle iron and Anderson Waffle iron.
 
Here are some pics of the waffle iron. One is the one I am cleaning and the other is waiting to be cleaned. The wire holding the two sides together broke which made it easer to clean. The crust was so thick that it actually protected the iron from rust in most areas though there is still pitting. I am surprised while cleaning as more information pops up. At the top two numbers appeared. The iron reads GOEWEY ALBNAY NY with 68 at the top
 

Attachments

  • Albnay 4.jpg
    Albnay 4.jpg
    68.3 KB · Views: 72
  • Albnay 5.jpg
    Albnay 5.jpg
    67.1 KB · Views: 66
Dan, I love your suggestion as to how the waffle iron wound up as found. It sounds likely to me! I just wonder how someone actually turned up the poor thing--metal detector, perhaps?
 
I had to pick up this waffle iron. I was in the ground for years and had a waffle in it. The waffle turned to dust when touched. Totally rusted and no name visible. This has to be my favorite find even if it worthless. After a night in my electrolysis bath, I was able to see a name. I was shocked to find anything.
It was made by Conway from Albany NY. Any info would be helpful.

The unique finds are the best.

Besides Cast Iron, I collect old knives. While on a rappelling trip in the Wichita Mountains, in Oklahoma, while hiking a steep trail, a rock that I grabbed pulled out, and in the dirt underneath was an old crusty knife. The handle had been aluminum and leather discs, but had rotted to the point that they crumbled away at a touch. The pommel cap and the hilt piece were also aluminum but were intact. The blade was coated in a crust of dirt and rust. Upon cleaning, and after replacing the handle with deer antler, it has become one of my favorites. It is a beautiful knife with pitting that gives the blade character.

I researched it a bit and found that the markings on the blade "Robeson, Germany" date it back to between 1891 - 1895. They started making knives in England in 1880, moved to Germany in 1891, the moved to the U.S. in 1896.

Had it been in at least decent condition, I would not have cleaned it up, but its value as an antique was pretty much zero.
 
Last edited:
Just got back from a wedding in Atlanta and am getting back to cleaning the waffle iron. I will send pics when I get further along. The cleaning of the one half is difficult due to the dryness of the crust on it. This might become my favorite CI piece.
 
The old J. A. Goewey waffle iron is almost done with the cleaning. The side with the logo and waffle was easy and cleaned up quickly. The other side was a major cleaning. It took me three days just to get to the iron. I did a background on Goewey and found out that they were in business before the Civil War and the building they were in burned down in 1904. They were known more for tea pots. I am hoping to oil it up in the next few days. This is going to be a display only item.
 

Attachments

  • GEDC0002.jpg
    GEDC0002.jpg
    59.5 KB · Views: 29
  • GEDC0003.jpg
    GEDC0003.jpg
    51.4 KB · Views: 30
Dan, there is very little info about Goewey. I could not find any waffle iron in that style to use to date it. The 68 on it could be a date or style. There is a fixed that is very unique in how it was fixed. Hammered part that is put in with rivets that are pounded on each side. This just adds to the piece.:)
 
Back
Top