Griswold cast iron - WOW! $$$$$

[Maestro]

Some of you may laugh at my naivete - but I'm still in a state of shock! :shocked2: I saw a Griswold #13 skillet sell for $1325 at an auction today! :shocked2: I had heard about Griswold cast iron on this forum but I didn't have a clue! :shocked2: The #13 is evidently a rare one... BUT... :shocked2: it must make some "wicked good" eggs and bacon!

 

[Grenadier1758]

I've got a Griswold griddle that we use for pancakes and such stove top fare. It has one of the best non-stick surfaces that we have in the kitchen. Its never been washed with soap. I only clean all the surfaces with hot water. Left over oil gets soaked in for that seasoning effect. I think my wife would be shocked that that griddle may be the most valuable piece of cookware in the kitchen.

 

[ssettle]

I do alittle cooking over a charcoal fire with a dutch oven. I don't do it very often but when I do most things turn out well. It seem that being the lid is so heavy it acks like a pressure cooker. As far as cost for cast iron cookware there is no way I'd pay that kind of money.SSettle

 

[ameling]

The standard Griswold 6, 8, and 10 inch skillets are as common as the next garage sale. They were sold by the millions. But there are numerous sizes and variations of them that are desireable to collectors. A change of size, shape, or marking on the bottom tells the tale.

A couple years ago, I sold an oval Griswold skillet with lid on ebay. I used it for a number of years camping at events. Well, it brought almost 800. I didn't realize just how "valuable" my fried potatoes and onions were!

So it goes with "collectibles".

yhs
Mike Ameling

 

[wszumera]

A couple years ago, I sold an oval Griswold skillet with lid on ebay. I used it for a number of years camping at events. Well, it brought almost 800. I didn't realize just how "valuable" my fried potatoes and onions were!

Good for you that more than one collector saw it or it might have gone cheap. Did your jaw drop to the floor when you saw how the bidding was going?

Clutch

 

[MSW]

well, i've always been an advocate for spending good money to buy good tools, but that does seem a bit on the pricey side for a piece of cookware... still, when you boil it all down, the hope diamond is really just a cool looking crystal.

 

[tom hargrove]

i guess old por-boys like m will have to make do with old junk sale cast iorn :rotf: :rotf:

 

[ameling]

I knew that oval skillet was worth a bunch more than the 30 bucks I bought it for - which I thought was kind of high at the time at the garage sale. And I figured it was worth more than 100, but not that much. Yeah, the jaw dropped. And I was nervous as all heck when I packed it up VERY CAREFULLY and sent it out insured. I didn't breathe much until it arrived safely. Since then, I've seen a couple Griswold Collector's books. The prices in them are truly amazing - but mostly for the rare variations. As I said, most every garage sale has those common sized skillets for sale for a few bucks.

yhs
Mike Ameling

 

[PaulN/KS]

I picked up a Griswald frying pan with a lid for 2$ last year at a church sale. :grin: I have an assortment of the Griswalds that I use all the time at home.They have the flat bottoms that work well with our ceramic top electric stove.

 

Griswolds have been good to me over the years. I pick them up at flea markets, estate, yard and tag sales. I don't care how groodie they are. They get my special non-abrasive cleaning that makes them look like they just came from the foundry.

I have a number 3 on the stove that makes me eggs and another bfugly waiting for some company to get the treatment.

CP

 

[Coot]

How about sharing your cleaning method? Thanks.

 

[Old Ironsights]

How about sharing your cleaning method? Thanks.

Easy answer. Don't. Just wipe it out while hot. If there are cruddies, add some oil, put it back on the heat and scrape them out. Wipe it down with some oil on a paper towel. That's it.

I never use more than oil, a spatula & paper towels on my Iron.