Hello Everyone!

[Christy T.]

I live in rural east central Arizona. I started using cast iron about 45 years ago, but just recently discovered that people collect it and can give approximate manufacturing dates on it. This sounds really interesting, and I want to learn more about it. I’ve accumulated some cast iron, but only pieces that I like and use. Most of them are Griswolds.

The two pieces that get used the most, meaning pretty much daily, are a slant marked Griswold that says cast iron skillet 3, Erie, PA U.S.A. 709. It has a heat ring. The other piece is gate marked with a heat ring and 8DD on the back. I have no idea who made that.

Others that are used fairly often are a fairly deep skillet with 87D on the back and a hammered design around the outside with no heat ring, and also a Griswold 7 that says Erie, PA 701 E on the back, also without a heat ring. I do have quite a few other pieces, and hope the collectors on the forum won’t get upset with me for using them and not just setting them aside for display.

Glad to meet you all.

 

[Bruce Lockhart]

You have definitely come to the right forum. Since I joined the discussion forum, I have learned so much about CI that I have come to the realization that I don't know much and I have so much more to learn. The home page has drop-down menus that have a ton of information in them, and the members are knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge. I visit this site daily and really enjoy seeing new pieces and learning about them. One thing that will help with identification and dating of your pieces are pictures. There are really good instructions on how to post pictures at the top of the forum page. Just be sure to include the handle in the pictures. There is information on the handle that will help in identification. So, welcome to the forum.