Griswold Cast Iron Is A product Of The Past, And A Tool For The Future.

Whether a wall decoration or a dust collector, those rustic, Griswold cast iron pans are a respectful reminder of days gone by, and days yet to come. Truly unyielding, cast iron never wears out, and many of those old cooking artifacts are still in service spanning kitchens across the world. Amongst the oldest, Griswold-manufactured iron is the most coveted iron cookware ever made or sought after.

Starting as Selden & Griswold in Erie, Pennsylvania, these two families entered the cast iron market as door hinge makers, and branched out into cast iron cookware as demand for durable cooking utensils increased across the American frontier in the later 1800's. Later, it was named the Griswold Manufacturing company, and their reputation for quality molds and casts stand evident in the multiple patents filed over a century of operation. In that time a variety of patterns, casts and logos were developed, and Griswold products had spread across the globe. In 1893, Griswold was the recipient of several Worlds Fair awards for quality cast iron goods.

As technolgies developed, so did Griswold, introducing aluminum, enameled, and even electrical items to their savvy list of wares. But soon, competition presented new woes as the first lines of stainless steel, copper and other cooking sets began to emerge in the 1940's. To spur even more difficulty, problems between labor and management caused revisions and cuts that led to a series of corporate purchases and sales between Griswold, McGraw Edison Inc. and Randall Corporation, who owned the Wagner metals foundry in Sidney,Ohio. In 1957, Griswold molds fell under the ownership of Wagner, and all subsequent casting was done in the Ohio foundry, which many claim lessened the quality of the ironware being produced. Eventually the Wagner facility was closed in 1999, after changing ownerships twice.

Collectors of Griswold ironware are most interested in the Erie-made pieces, considering the Ohio-cast pieces to be altered, and not true Griswold. The original Griswold iron can be found everywhere, but remain more abundant in the eastern US, and fetch a handsome price on the market depending on the type of stamped logo on the bottom. Still standing the test of time, this unique, and antique cookware is a continued pleasure to cook with, or hang from the wall in time-honored admiration.