Time left 6d 20h left. 7:35. This could be due to the fact, much of the cast iron is over 100 years old and still very usable today. More information on these pans can be seen on this page: Special Pans by Birmingham Stove and Range. Based on the kind of markings the pan has, you can discover just who made the pan, when it was made, and more. This iconic symbol has had a few changes over the years but continues to be quickly identified as the Lodge logo for American made products. Should I get this?". These skillets usually have a letter at the bottom of the pan. 4 3/4. 1957 also saw the introduction of the Century Cookware series from Birmingham Stove & Range. That pan is a size 8, with the mold marker KG.) A comparison of two popular types highlights this factor – users found that a Number 8 Lodge cast iron skillet from the 1960s – 1983 weighed 4.65 lbs., whereas the Griswold number 8 “ERIE” spider cast iron skillet from 1906 weighed 3.85 lbs. Top Diameter in inches. Shop for bsr cast iron cookware online at Target. More notably, the handle was curved rather than straight. Hugh Rushing writes on Facebook, "The other reason the [size] 7 became an 8-B is so that we could run it two up on a DISA 2013 machine. These products continue to be produced by Lodge through the present day, and they are consistent sellers, especially the Sportsman grill (or hibachi). The chicken fryer has a flat bottom without any heat ring. As pictured above the skillet is post-triage. 14, with a size measurement in inches, in the early to mid 1970s. It is also more likely to have been manufactured in the U.S. Additionally, newer pans have thicker walls as compared to older ones. 8-B 10 1/4 INCH BIRMINGHAM STOVE & RANGE CAST IRON SKILLET & LID.The Lid has the Following Incised Markings on … This separate foundry was named Birmingham Stove & Range. They also discontinued the number 4 size pan with the Century series. These were hand molded patterns, so it was just a matter of adding in the right letters on the pattern. That enabled us to actually lower the cost of the 8-B as opposed to the older model 8 which was 10-5/8" in diameter." Martin was in the process of its own restructuring, and their purchase of the Atlanta Stove Works' gas and stove production fit into their business strategy. Most old pans, even painted and rusted, are reclaimable, and many cooks swear by them as the best cookware available. As with most BS&R pans, these chicken fryers are huge beasts, a full three inches deep. The number 8 pan is a full half inch greater in diameter, or 10 5/8 inches. Among the most popular of that kind are the "unmarked" cast iron pans – ones that don't have the manufacturer stamp on the bottom. Even today, the Cue Cart is seen as the standard to which barbecue grills are compared. It’s usually just a small logo of the company name, which you can then use a reference. If the MADE IN USA stamp was absent, the pan was older and was cast between 1966 and 1968. 3. Nonetheless, pans with this design continue to appear in the hands of collectors and sellers. Menu . 2. Apart from logos, the Griswold iron cast pans and cooking items changed markings over time. The only difference was the adhesive label attached. Former BS&R marketing manager Hugh Rushing writes, "The Lady Bess line was introduced to celebrate the [United States] bicentennial. 3 sized 1970s Century skillet, showing the surface detail. It will not require a lot of effort to restore this cast iron pan into a condition as good as new. Dating wagner cast iron skillet history of unmarked cast iron cookware identification the how old is my cast iron skillet cookware chowhound how old is my cast iron skillet cookware chowhound vintage cast iron dating identification logos history antique cast iron skillets markings collector. Cast Iron Basics. Close. While you will know that your pan is very old, it will be harder to determine who manufactured it. These more modern BS&R pans are harder to find than the older vintage pans. These pans were made in only two sizes, number 7 (10 1/4 inches diameter) and number 8 (10 5/8 inches). It is also produced by the Griswold Manufacturing Company. For many, this can be a great way to find out how old their favorite cast iron pan is. Can You Use Cast Iron Pan on an Electric Stove? As with their saucepans, all Birmingham Stove & Range camp lids made during and after the year 1967 have tab handles rather than typical handles. Did you know that cast iron skillets are so durable that they can last for centuries? My father doesn't remember any specific skillet for the event, but like I said, people were making all kinds for all kinds of occasions. Their design was also quite different from that of the more famous BS&R cast iron skillets. The following are some standard markings on cast iron skillets that you should pay attention to: Gate Mark. Initially, their business boomed to the point where in 1902, a separate foundry was built in Birmingham, Alabama especially for the production of hollow ware and cast iron cookware to supplement their stoves. Many of the original records from Atlanta Stove Works have been lost, especially because the original factory burned down in 1915 and was re-built. I'm still looking for authentic or photographic verification of the size difference between the Red Mountain and Century series #14 pans. A number of these pans have appeared with this unusual design on the bottom, along with the unmistakable size marking of a Century Cookware skillet. ERIE refers to the location of the company as Griswold Manufacturing Company was established in Erie, Pennsylvania. Martin Industries managed the production of stoves and gas heaters, plus other items. The size number is typically found on either the bottom of a piece or incised in the top of the handle. This one will be a very good user with typical non polished interior. Condition 193762567035 ", Posted to BSR Users Group: Birmingham Stove and Range on May 23, 2014 by Milton O'Dell. BSR CAST IRON skillet #8 - $28.86. The new machines were able to produce molds with the ridge on the underside of the handle. However, that’s not a good indicator. Because of their popularity, Griswold and Wagner pans can be difficult to find. This is a raised slash or a scar on the bottom of the pan. They made a camping set that featured a smaller size to complement that camping set." He still has a great memory. Birmingham Stove & Range pans almost never warp (though I've found at least one). Dwayne Henson writes: Closeup photos of a No. As with any cast iron pan, their greatest enemy was rust. Based on this factor, we’re also including some common manufacturing logos and what they mean: These are some of the earliest pans produced by the Griswold Manufacturing Company. According to Hugh Rushing (posted to Facebook on March 4, 2015), "The 5H was the pattern designation and the 2 was the second impression in the pattern. Heat rings are around the pan’s rim were meant to raise the cookware so it didn’t directly touch the stovetop. A curiosity at most, and collectible value is not affected. Griswold's pattern numbering system is a little more cryptic, with the numbers appearing to have nothing to do with the size. Some very unusual cast iron pans from Birmingham Stove and Range have been discovered by members of the Cast Iron Cooking group. Unmarked Birmingham Stove and Range (BSR), #5 • 8 1/8 Cast Iron Skillet Century Series Heat ring Cleaned and Seasoned Excellent Condition POST 1960s Markings Front: none Markings Back Side: MADE IN USA, NO. Birmingham Stove & Range re-introduced its cast iron pots and pans as Century Cookware, beginning in 1957. C $79.28. The Birmingham foundry used a size numbering system to match the stoves produced by Atlanta Stove Works. These 3 skillets and lid have been cleaned and lightly seasoned. Another type of cast iron skillet pans produced by the Griswold Manufacturing Company is the Iron Mountain skillets. With the name and logo emblazoned on the bottom of the skillet, its origin can be traced and even dated. Search for: Search. Depth in inches. Never dispose of a good old cast iron pan. See more ideas about cast iron, cast iron cookware, cast iron skillet. It's slightly larger than the "number 8" sized pans from other manufacturers, such as Lodge or Griswold. This is seen in this photo, where a 12 IN lid has an underside heat ring 11 inches in diameter. Because there isn't a manufacturer logo or stamp on these pans, they are largely unknown to modern day users and collectors. In 1992, A&B Foundry (doing business as Birmingham Stove & Range) declared bankruptcy and folded completely in 1993. Of the two, the number 8 is more commonly found. Lids for Birmingham Stove & Range camp ovens differed greatly from their more familiar and common skillet and dutch oven lids. The "later" Red Mountain is likely of 1960s make, due to the rough surface on the outside, and machine-polished inside. I used the photos there to review the font and location of the logo on the bottom of the skillet. What the seller says may be true, but that means it is a reproduction. Many early pieces are labeled as “Wagner” with the name in quotation marks. Wagner made molded cast iron with a polished exterior and interior, and the best production was from 1920 to 1940. (Some molds used two letters for identification instead of just one, as seen in the 8 K G example above. While other lids have ridges to allow condensation to collect and drip onto the food as it cooks, BS&R lids have "dimples" or indentations on the underside of the lid. BS&R cast iron pans are very heavy, and they have a weight and a heft similar to modern-day cast iron pans from Lodge. Porterhouse Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet - Duration: 6:46. 7 size in a BS&R pan, which is stamped on the Century series as 10 1/8 inches. These items were produced for Atlanta Stove Works by Birmingham Stove & Range, beginning in 1941 and throughout the entire history of the company. While Wagner Ware had begun marking its pans with MADE IN USA during the early 1960s, other major cast iron cookware makers waited until the later 1960s to add this mark to their pans. The handwritten markings on the bottom indicate both of these pans are from the same approximate time period, 1920s to 1930s, though there could be as much as ten years' difference or so between the two. When BS&R's designs were acquired by Lodge in the late 1980s, the design and ownership of the cornbread skillet was passed on to Lodge. This new system allowed the company to greatly increase its production and output. Wagner made molded cast iron with a polished exterior and interior, and the best production was from 1920 to 1940. $9.87 shipping. Skip to content. Many people across the country, and around the world, have one or more of these "unmarked" pans. Home » How to Tell How Old is a Cast Iron Skillet? BS&R was the only manufacturer to use the abbreviation of, As with the older pans, there is a thick and prominent. A few collectors have given these pans the nickname "Mercedes" because of the similarity to the auto maker's logo. The handle has a 7 on the upper side with 2 dots on the lower side. Some minor tool marks and bumps normal with unpolished iron some very minor pits. They also feature a number that goes with the pan but no other defining markers. or Best Offer. Saunders Jones replied: "The Jones family (Saunders II and family) moved to Birmingham to run the Foundry and the Birmingham operation in August of 1959. BSR Birmingham Stove & Range #10 skillet (Century Series) with HR. However, in your search for cast iron pots and pans, you will be much more likely to find something like…this. The most common of these "unmarked" pans are from Lodge Manufacturing – the same Lodge that makes the cast iron pans you see in Wal-Mart today – Wagner, and Birmingham Stove & Range (abbreviated here as BS&R). Some pans had a dot after the size number, instead of a pattern letter, as shown in the photo on the right. If a pattern became suspect of causing defective pieces, it would be marked so the pans made from it could be easily identified. More information on these unique and unusual pans produced for the Century series can be seen at this page: Special Pans by Birmingham Stove and Range. This is seen as proof that there was no law or government ruling declaring all cast iron to bear this mark. Unmarked Cast Iron Identification Images - Lodge, BSR, Vollrath, Griswold. Click on the picture for a larger image of the label. From shop OrphanedIron. The Lodge Sportsman 3060 deep fish fryer is seen in use in this video: This video uses all BS&R pans, a Sportsman 3052 fish fryer with (more modern) Lodge "Wildlife" 3093 lid; plus a Red Mountain series skillet and lid. ), The Century Cookware series of cast iron was officially introduced by Birmingham Stove & Range in the year 1957. Home Book Of Griswold & Wagner Catalog Reprints Cast Iron Cookware Books Cast Iron Cooking Items For Sale Cleaning And Seasoning Cast Iron Cookware . Our goal is to add to the community over all in a helpful way by learning and sharing knowledge among us here and others. Many early pieces are labeled as “Wagner” with the name in quotation marks. They were designed completely different, and their sizes were also different. “Makers marks,” in cast iron history, not bourbon history, are the easiest way to identify antique cast iron. If you're looking at cast iron cooking implements or other items at an antique sale, you can avoid overpaying for that Excelsior skillet if you can tell the time period when it was really manufactured. Item 1570 Please note all pictures on our site are of the actual piece you will receive, not a stock photo of a similar piece. No. You'll only have to pay a very low cost for the pan…if you don't actually get it for free by finding it in a junk pile somewhere. Later, the question of "why" the S series was made produced this remark: "To compete with another foundry. BS&R never produced pans of size 11 or 13. Click on each picture for a larger image. Photos of original "first generation" Sportsman grill plus fryer by Joedy Hicks. The handle on top of the lid was intentionally designed with one end larger than the other. Birmingham Stove & Range never put an identifying logo or manufacturer mark on their cast iron pans. As the company was restructured, its wood-fired stove and cast iron production facility in Birmingham was shut down. The pan features a design of a spider web with a spider in it and the words ERIE etched into the body of the spider. Item 1570 Please note all pictures on our site are of the actual piece you will receive, not a stock photo of a similar piece. It means that you are likely to find a BS&R cast iron pan somewhere, without a lot of effort. For a long period of time, as far back as the 1930s through the 1970s, Birmingham Stove & Range produced a series of cast iron handled saucepans for stovetop cooking. I've found quite a few older Wagner pans, and even some Griswolds, with warped surfaces that caused them to spin when placed on a flat surface. The number indicates the size of the pan – in this case, the number 5 indicates it is a size 5 pan. Closeup photos of a NO. However, unlike Lodge, the cooking surface of a BS&R pan is very smooth. 1 post • Page 1 of 1. The two exceptions to this were the size #6 pans, and the S-series Red Mountain pans (3-S, 5-S, 7-S). Closeup photos of a No. While much of Atlanta Stove Works' production records from its early days have been lost, speculation on the Facebook group for Birmingham Stove and Range came to a reasonable conclusion that these may be among the "first series" of Red Mountain pans, produced during the 1930s or possibly even earlier. Ending Wednesday at 4:41PM PST 17h 28m. [This was] needed so if something went wrong you would know which cavity to work on.". There was still a lot of competition at the time, both from neighboring foundries such as Lodge Manufacturing, and also from the new influx of foreign cast iron from Asia. Is Black Residue On Cast Iron Skillets Harmful? This is not a repair of a defect, but rather a quality control measure some foundries used after the advent of automation. The MADE IN USA mark was added beginning in late 1967, and by 1968 almost all BS&R pans bore this mark. The pan may be dirty, rusty, and encrusted with grit or even decades of old seasoning – it's not likely to be in brand new condition. An antique cast-iron skillet may be identified by the markings on the bottom of the skillet, the location of those markings, the pour spout, and the characteristics of the handle and lid. Pre-Owned. 10 sized Century Cookware cookware dutch oven, dating from 1966 to 1968, showing the surface detail. 4 years ago. $29.95 shipping. BSR RED MOUNTAIN SKILLETS. Some have even become family heirlooms, being passed down from generation to generation. The company used this early marking prior to 1922, sometimes in combination with the Sidney name. 4. 3. (Source: Maria Saporta, "Atlanta Stove Works closes operations here," Atlanta Constitution, January 2, 1987): [1]), Martin Industries was in fact the company originally founded as Martin Stove & Range. News stories related to this: [6], [7] The Web site of the new Krog Street Market is: www.krogstreetmarket.com/ ( Facebook: www.facebook.com/KrogStreetMarket ). This particular pan shows the spiral pattern of the milling marks, created when the cooking surface was ground down to a smooth finish. Given this aspect, finding out the age of a vintage cast iron skillet can be interesting. The Facebook group is a "closed" group, and you must be a member of the group (which is free) in order to see the timeline posting. The first series of cast iron pans produced by Birmingham Stove & Range had very few markings on the underside. It’s very easy to mistake them for low-quality pans. Based on these, you can identify the BSR skillets into the following subcategories: This was manufactured during the 1930s and the 1940s.