Small pan marked 3Z

[D George]

Looked on the net and found not much, tried to search here but words are too small to search. I will guess unmarked Wagner?

 

[Doug D.]

I guess I need to do a better job of making forum visitors aware that it is only part of an entire website devoted to all facets of collectible cast iron cookware. Your pan is a Lodge. Since most of Lodge's product from the middle of the 20th century is unmarked, it is included in:

Unmarked Cast Iron Cookware Identification - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

The Cast Iron Collector: Information for the Vintage Cookware Enthusiast. Learn how to identify, clean, restore, season and use collectible antique cast iron cookware.

www.castironcollector.com

 

[D George]

I guess I need to do a better job of making forum visitors aware that it is only part of an entire website devoted to all facets of collectible cast iron cookware. Your pan is a Lodge. Since most of Lodge's product from the middle of the 20th century is unmarked, it is included in:

Unmarked Cast Iron Cookware Identification - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

The Cast Iron Collector: Information for the Vintage Cookware Enthusiast. Learn how to identify, clean, restore, season and use collectible antique cast iron cookware.

www.castironcollector.com

I actually looked there expecting to see the exact markings. I see now that some are just generally marked and specific markings mean nothing?

 

[Doug D.]

There will be variations in markings related to individual working patterns used or the marks added by a particular molder if the foundry used that practice to track employee production. A BSR Red Mountain skillet for example would have a size number but a variety of pattern letters next to it. For yours, from the Lodge section describing their skillets from the 1930s:

• Skillets have inset heat ring with single notch opposite handle at 12 o'clock
• Raised size number on top of handle OR 1" high size number at 12 o'clock
• Raised small molder's mark letter at 6 o'clock

The raised letter, added by the molder, could be almost any letter or occasionally a number. The relevant part being its position on the bottom of the pan and the fact that it's raised rather than incised.

 

[D George]

There will be variations in markings related to individual working patterns used or the marks added by a particular molder if the foundry used that practice to track employee production. A BSR Red Mountain skillet for example would have a size number but a variety of pattern letters next to it. For yours, from the Lodge section describing their skillets from the 1930s:

• Skillets have inset heat ring with single notch opposite handle at 12 o'clock
• Raised size number on top of handle OR 1" high size number at 12 o'clock
• Raised small molder's mark letter at 6 o'clock

The raised letter, added by the molder, could be almost any letter or occasionally a number. The relevant part being its position on the bottom of the pan and the fact that it's raised rather than incised.

Thanks for the info, still learning about this stuff. Now if you ask me about German Luger's those I know!