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Does anyone have an interest in writing up the Griswold cast iron ware
story? We have many members who collect the pieces but no “resident expert”.
These two articles came up on a search with Google. There are many more
references and dealers out there...
Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association
Matthew Griswold and the Selden brothers started their business by
manufacturing separable butt hinges and other articles of light hardware in
1865. They worked in a building know as the "Butt Factory." The building was
on West 10th and Chestnut Streets, on the bank of the Erie Extension Canal.
The closest I can get to the date they started making cookware is 1865.
The name was changed to the Selden & Griswold Manufacturing Company in 1873.
The firm was reorganized in 1887, and the Griswold Manufacturing Company was
chartered.
They added aluminum cookware to their line before the turn of the century.
Records show that the first aluminum piece (a tea kettle) was made in
approximately 1893.
The firm moved onto the corners of 12th and Raspberry Streets in 1903.
Griswold Mfg. Co. started enameling some items in the 1920's and within 10
years had branched into some electric cooking items.
The Griswold Manufacturing Company was sold in 1946 to a syndicate of New
York City investors. By 1947, all members of the Griswold family had left
the company.
In March of 1957, McGraw Edison of Chicago, Illinois purchased Griswold,
ending the 81 years that the Griswold family owned the company. On October
7, 1957, it was announced that the Housewares Division and the Griswold name
and trademarks were to be sold to a competitor, the Wagner Manufacturing
Company of Sidney, Ohio.
On December 7, 1957, the plant in Erie, PA closed its doors.
The Wagner Manufacturing Company continued the Griswold name and trademark,
but pieces made during that time period did not have the phrase "Erie, Pa."
on them.
Wagner transferred all Griswold trademark rights to Textron Inc. (Randall
Company) in January of 1959. Until 1969, cast iron cookware marketed with
the Griswold trademark was manufactured in Sidney, Ohio by the Randall
Company.
In August of 1969 General House wares Corp. acquired all rights to both the
Griswold and Wagner trademarks.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GRISWOLD MANUFACTURING
COMPANY OF ERIE, PA...
In 1865, two Erie families associated by marriage, joined in
a modest venture to manufacture door hinges. The Selden and Griswold union
paved the way for The Griswold Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania,
recognized world wide as producers of fine cast iron products, especially
cookware.
Between 1865 and 1957 when they closed production of the plant at the corner
of 12th and Raspberry Street, their line of cookware had been sold and used
around the world. Their designers and engineers produced many patents
spanning almost 100 years of manufacture. Before the turn of the 20th
century, they added cast aluminum products to their line. In the 1920's they
enameled some cookware and by the 1930's they offered electric items to
their product list. They produced commercial pieces for use in restaurants.
The company was in trouble by the 1940's for a variety of reasons. Many
products were being introduced by other cookware companies that seemed more
attractive to modern cooks. Problems within the company between management
and employees widened, the quality of the products seemed to decline, and in
1957 the doors of GMC closed leaving 60+ employees without jobs.
While most of the GMC cookware is a desired collectible, almost all
collectors avoid the small Griswold logo era. The former quality and casting
isn't there, for the most part. There seems to be a much larger demand for
cast iron, compared to those seeking cast aluminum, enameled, electric, or
plated pieces. Eventually, Griswold's strongest competitor, The Wagner
Manufacturing Company of Sydney, Ohio, ended up with ownership of their
molds. The "double stamped" Wagner/Griswold emblems are not considered
important collector's items, nor are the items that say Griswold but were
really manufactured in Sydney, Ohio by Wagner.
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Griswold Cast Iron:
Information & Resources
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New contact for Griswold cast iron collectors:
www.griswoldandwagner.com
R&G Antiques
Rebecca and Gregory L. Stahl
290 Chestnut Street
Clinton, MA 01510
978-368-6646 |
| The Book of Griswold & Wagner.
David G. Smith & Charles Wafford
, Schiffer Pub Ltd., 77 Lower Valley Rd.,
Atglen PA 19310
(ISBN 0-88740-836-2)
Visit "The Pan Man" to shop for collectible cast iron.
More information is available through David Smith, a dealer in antique
cast-iron cookware and author of The Book of Griswold and Wagner. Visit
Smith's Web site at http://www.Panman.com,
or e-mail your questions to
david@panman.com. |
| Join the Griswold and Cast Iron
Cookware Association at
http://www.gcica.org The G&CICA
is a non-profit national organization dedicated to sharing history,
information, research and enjoyment of fine cast iron cookware. Join
for $25/2 people with same address, or $20 for a single. For
information, write G&CICA Secretary, PO Box 552, Sagertown, PA 16433 |
| A good source for Griswold
ironware information is Doris and Bob Mosier, 17424 Jordan Drive,
Saegertown, PA 16433 (814) 763-4819. The Mosiers publish a listing of their
inventory and the listings of other collectors and dealers. Their website
is:
http://www.griswoldcookware.com/history.htm |
Do you have historical information
to share with us about Griswold Cast Iron Hardware?
Sorry, we can't evaluate your hardware pieces or quote
prices!
Please email to: BMNJRyan@aol.com
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Griswold Family Reunion: Ohio Style, 1901
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Many thanks to Jan Robinson for sending us this
historic document and to Coralee Griswold for the genealogy.
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| The program is signed by H. Warren
PHELPS, President. He was married to Louise M. Clark who was the
daughter of George B. and Mindwell E. (GRISWOLD) CLARK. Louisa
Clark-PHELPS > Mindwell Griswold > Isaac Griswold (FFG 540/863) This is
what the French's have written in the Sixth regarding Isaac: b. 27 Oct
1779 Windsor, Hartford Co., CT; m. 14 Feb 1801 Ursula CLARK , b. 1 Jan.
1783 in Windsor, daughter of Moses Clark, she died in 1854 at Blendon,
Franklin Co., OH. Isaac d. July 1869 Blendon, OH. |
| "Isaac made the journey to Oho in 1805
in company with Col. Kilbourne and Isaac Phelps on horseback. They
located land in Blendon Township, Franklin Co., OH and returned to CT.
Isaac and his family returned to Ohio in 1806 with ox teams and all
their belongings. They were among the earliest settlers in Blendon where
Isaac soon became a prominent and influential citizen. In 1808 he was a
corporal in the militia and saw active service in the War of 1812. In
1824 he was appointed postmaster and served until 1864 when he was
succeeded by his son Cicero PHELPS." |
Children: Eunice d. 12 Apr 1803
+Isaac Mortimer b. 23 Dec 1803
Edwin B. b. 23 Aug 1805 d. 17 May 1834 unm
+Christina b. 23 Feb 1808
Fredus Niles b. 11 May 1811 d. 16 July 1881 unm
Cicero Phelps b. 6 Dec 1815 d. 10 Aug 1885 unm
+ Mindwell b. 9 Oct 1822 |
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