About Steve’s Seasoned Classics

Steve’s Seasoned Classics is a museum-style archive and preservation project dedicated to documenting, restoring, and celebrating America’s cast iron cookware made before 1963. My name is Steve Thaman, and I serve as the curator, researcher, restorer, and historian behind this collection.

Preserving cast iron isn’t just a hobby for me—it’s a way to honor the foundry workers, families, and kitchens that shaped everyday American life. Many of the recipes and traditions featured here come from the German Catholic farm kitchens I grew up around, where cast iron wasn’t decoration—it was an essential tool of faith, family, and food.

Mission Statement

Preserving America’s cast iron heritage, one skillet at a time.
I focus exclusively on pre-1963 cookware because these were the last decades of the true “classic foundry era.” After 1963, industrial changes in manufacturing altered the craftsmanship, finishing techniques, and casting quality that defined vintage American iron. My mission is to preserve, document, and restore the pieces made before that transition.

My Story

Years ago, I restored my first vintage skillet and discovered a world of forgotten craftsmanship. What began as a small personal collection quickly grew into a deep historical pursuit—studying brand histories, cataloging logo variations, documenting manufacturing eras, and learning the individual quirks of every foundry in the Western Ohio cast iron belt.

Over time, I realized that each piece had a story: how it was cast, who used it, how it survived, and what role it played in the home. This site is my effort to preserve those stories and make them accessible to collectors, cooks, and historians.

Preservation-First Restoration Philosophy

Every piece in this collection is restored with museum-grade standards:

  • No grinding, sanding, wire wheels, or power tools

  • No metal loss or texture alteration

  • Original casting marks and foundry surfaces preserved

  • Hand-seasoning with pure oil only

  • Full documentation of each restoration

Historic pieces deserve historic care. My goal is to return each one to service without erasing its past.

What You’ll Find Here

The Museum

A research-grade catalogue of pre-1963 cast iron cookware—including Wagner Ware, Griswold, Wapak, Favorite Piqua, and other American foundries. Each entry includes identification notes, logo dating, casting characteristics, historical context, restoration records, and technical specifications.

The Library

Educational resources: logo timelines, brand histories, reproduction-spotting guides, restoration science, and collector tools. This section grows as new research is completed.

The Kitchen

Authentic recipes from 1900–1963, tested and adapted for vintage cast iron. These dishes reflect the heritage of American farm cooking, parish suppers, home baking, and regional traditions.

The Shop

Select restored pieces available for purchase, along with information on send-in restorations performed with the same museum-style standards.

Who This Is For

This site is built for:

  • Collectors researching identification, dating, and authenticity

  • Cooks seeking heirloom recipes and vintage cast-iron technique

  • Historians & researchers exploring American foundry craftsmanship

  • Families preserving the tools and traditions of their grandparents

  • Anyone who simply loves old cast iron

If you want to understand the history, craftsmanship, and culture behind classic American cookware, you’re in the right place.