![]() A Wapak pan sporting an Indian head logo was made between 19 and is highly collectible STOCK YOUR BOOKSHELF From scouring the Internet to hitting the books, these are the resources that have given us the most success. Here at Southern Cast Iron, readers routinely ask us for advice on how to identify their vintage and unmarked cast iron, and while it’s impossible to provide a definitive guide on identifying every maker, there are plenty of tools to help you uncover the mystery behind your pan. ![]() “A gate mark looks like a slash and was a by-product of older iron casting methods,” he explains. Robert says a quick way to determine if the pan is early or pre-20th century is to look for a gate mark on the bottom side. For instance, Lodge’s iconic egg logo was created in 1973, so you can guarantee any pan that simply has the name “Lodge” carved into the back is at least more than 45 years old. ![]() If your vintage pan does happen to have a brand label, comparing its logo design and font to other pans of the same brand can help give you an idea of when it was made. “If there are markings discernible, the typeface used could be a dead giveaway or at least point you in the right direction.” He also advises those looking to identify vintage cast iron to take a close look at the helper handle or tab design (if the pan has them), at the position and design of the heat ring on the bottom, and at the pour spouts to determine the maker. “I’ll look at the shape of the handle’s hole, if there is one, the contours of the top and bottom, and if there are any raised or incised numbers or general markings,” Robert says. “Typically, I will look at the handle first,” says Robert Kellermann, who is a descendant of Joseph Lodge, founder of Lodge Cast Iron, and the company’s primary source for identifying vintage or otherwise unmarked cast iron. When you find a cast-iron pan whose provenance is unclear, there are certain characteristics that will clue you in to its maker and age. Oftentimes, the letters and numbers you’ll find on the bottom of a vintage pan denote a pattern number or correspond to a particular cooking surface on a stove the pan might’ve been sold with, and unusual notches could be a maker’s mark incorporated into the piece to identify the actual person who crafted it. For example, a Wagner skillet made to sell in a specific store would forgo the Wagner label and rely on its signature characteristics for brand identification. Each brand had a well-conceived signature design, but for many brands of yesteryear, where consistency ended and mystery unfolded was with markings.Ī skillet’s markings could range from the company’s name to a set of cryptic letters and numbers to mysterious notches to nothing at all, and much of the inconsistency was a result of marketing. They made glassy smooth interiors, handles molded to seamlessly fit into a gripped hand, and walls and pour spouts whose curvature was perfected down to minute angles. The makers of today’s vintage cast iron were meticulously detailed craftsmen. I love them in the silver, purple and deep blue at the moment, so will have to decide which will match the room best, once I have my selves sorted.A careful look at the logo on a vintage pan-if it has one-can help determine its age. After nosing about I originally thought I wanted blocks of sliced agate (still an option for the bedroom!) as I love the natural look, but I also noticed that while searching for other items I was drawn to a lot of mid century modern items, so I tried looking for ‘mid century modern bookends’, and these babies came up! These are a definite on our want list for when we move. I am a big book reader, and constantly have piles of books dotted around the place, so finding some stylish book ends was a must for when we moved. These come from Urban Trading Post and are around £18 each of £37 for a pair. I adore these mid century modern bookends cast in the shape of giant Jacks.
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