SSC MUSEUM COLLECTION
Ohio Foundry Directory
A Geographic Index of Ohio's Obscure Cast Iron Makers
Region 1 — Cincinnati, Hamilton County
Ohio's largest antebellum city. The West Second Street iron trade district anchored the foundry ecosystem that produced more hollow ware, stoves, and industrial castings than any other concentration in the state. 11 makers · 14 pieces.
★ THE CORNERSTONE
Chamberlain & Co. | 1860s — Menke Patent
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-CHAM-KTL-8-001
No. 8 tea kettle linked to U.S. Patent No. 38,972 (Barney H. Menke, June 23, 1863) and Patent No. 37,423 (January 13, 1863). The Menke Patent Network connection — five manufacturers across three states casting under the same patent. First patent-to-piece pairing in the SSC collection.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle #8 | Menke Patent connection
Yourtee, Hollister & Co. | c. 1871–1874
81 West Second Street, Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-YH-KET-001
Stove-top tea kettle marked YOURTEE HOLLISTER & CO. / CINCINNATI O. / 1871 — year of manufacture confirmed. Manufactured via Miami Stove Works, Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Firm dissolved by limitation January 9, 1874. Not in CastIronCollector or WAGs databases. First-time documented.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle, Size 6 | 1871 marked | Holes in base — display only
J.H. Day & Co. | Pat. 1874 & 1877
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-JHDAY-KTL-001
No. 8 Safety Kettle with hinged fire shield. Marked MADE ONLY BY / J.H. DAY & CO. / CINCINNATI, O. / PAT. 74 & 77 cast in iron on fire shield panel. Two patents in three years — 1874 initial patent, 1877 improved design. Successor to The Hunter Manufacturing Co. Industrial machinery manufacturer, not a hollow ware foundry. Company dead per Ohio records #215176. Acquired 04/12/2026.
Pieces in collection: Safety kettle #8 | Fire shield with wire latch and CI cylindrical handle
Kingery Mfg. Co. | Pat. 1894
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-KINGERY-SCP-1894-001
Patented ice cream scoop (#20). Kingery was a Cincinnati specialty manufacturer known for ice cream and confectionery equipment. The disher-style scoop is a documented patent piece with the Kingery mark in original condition.
Pieces in collection: Ice cream scoop #20
Perin & Gaff Mfg. Co. | c. 1866–1876
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-PG-PLY-1876-001 / SSC-PG-FLT-KNOX-001
Two pieces: pulley wheel and a Knox-patent fluting iron. Perin & Gaff was a Cincinnati industrial manufacturer active in the postwar period, producing hardware, tools, and domestic implements alongside heavier castings.
Pieces in collection: Pulley wheel | Fluting iron (Knox patent)
W. Resor & Co | c. 1880
.Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-RESOR-WAF-1880-001
Cincinnati waffle iron maker. The Resor mark surfaces occasionally in the collector market and represents the broader Cincinnati hollow ware ecosystem in the decades following the Civil War.
Pieces in collection: Waffle iron
Adams & Britt | c. 1872
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-ADAMSBRITT-KTL-1872-001
Stove kettle with the Adams & Britt mark. One of the many short-lived Cincinnati hollow ware firms whose production survives in isolated marked examples. The firm's exact dates and product line remain under research.
Pieces in collection: Stove kettle
John D. Browne | Pat. 1865
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-BROWNE-BRM-1865-001
Patented broom head, 1865. One of the rarer non-cookware Ohio marks in the collection — a Cincinnati inventor who patented a specific cast iron domestic implement in the immediate postwar period.
Pieces in collection: Broom head
H.S. Pease | c. 1874
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-PEASE-KTL-1874-001 / SSC-PRASE-CCI-001
Two pieces: coal clothes iron and a three-leg kettle pot. Two separate pieces — verify if same maker. Pease was active in Cincinnati's post-Civil War iron trade.
Pieces in collection: Coal clothes iron | 3-leg kettle pot
Century Machine Co. | c. 1900
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-CENTURY-PLQ-1900-001
Cast iron plaque. Cincinnati industrial manufacturer at the turn of the century — one of the broader range of Ohio makers documented in the SSC collection beyond hollow ware.
Pieces in collection: Cast iron plaque
Peck, Williamson & Co. | 19th–20th century
Cincinnati, Hamilton County SSC-PW-FRN-DMP-001
Advertising plate for furnaces. Peck, Williamson & Co. operated in Cincinnati's heating and furnace trade, producing cast iron advertising and architectural pieces.
Pieces in collection: Advertising plate (furnaces)
Region 2 — Dayton, Montgomery County
Dayton's industrial corridor produced iron alongside its better-known agricultural implement and machine tool industries. Three makers, all with documented patent connections. 3 makers · 3 pieces.
Greer & King Mfg. Co. | c. 1868
Dayton, Montgomery County SSC-GREER-KTL-001
No. 8 bean pot kettle linked to U.S. Patent No. 83,751 (John Ziegler, November 3, 1868) — an improvement in casting footed hollow ware. Second patent-to-piece pairing in the SSC collection. Not in CastIronCollector or WAGs databases. First-time documented.
Pieces in collection: Bean pot #8 | Ziegler Patent No. 83,751
Dayton Malleable Iron Co. | Pat. Aug. 15, 1871
Dayton, Montgomery County SSC-DMICO-LDL-001
Patented smelting ladle with original foundry slag preserved in the diamond-form pour cup — industrial artifact documented and conserved with original surface intact. Founded 1866 by Charles Newbold and Peter Loeb; second oldest malleable iron foundry west of the Allegheny Mountains. Records held at Wright State University Special Collections MS-148 and Hagley Museum and Library.
Pieces in collection: Smelting ladle | Original slag preserved in pour cup | Original patina intact
Hose & Lyon | Pat. Aug. 15, 1871
Dayton, Montgomery County SSC-HLY-LDL-1871-001
Patented ladle competing directly with the Dayton Malleable Iron Co. design — both firms filed patents on the same date, August 15, 1871. The simultaneous filings document a competitive Dayton hollow ware market in the early 1870s.
Pieces in collection: Ladle | Same patent date as Dayton Malleable
Region 3 — Zanesville, Muskingum County
Zanesville's foundry community operated along the Muskingum River corridor during the Civil War era and beyond. Home of the SSC Crown Jewel — the oldest datable piece in the collection. 3 makers · 3 pieces.
★ THE CROWN JEWEL
Shinnick Hattan & Co. | Pat. June 23, 1863
Zanesville, Muskingum County SSC-SHINNICK-KTL-9-1863-001
No. 9 tea kettle. The oldest datable piece in the SSC collection and the only Civil War–era artifact. Cast in the summer of 1863 — the same summer as Gettysburg. Patent date June 23, 1863 (Barney H. Menke, Cincinnati). The narrative spine of the forthcoming SSC Press book, The Kettle and the War.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle #9 | Civil War era | Menke Patent
Shinnick & Co. | Pat. June 23, 1863 Zanesville, Muskingum County SSC-SHINNICK-CO-KTL-8-001
No. 8 tea kettle. Sibling to the Crown Jewel under a separate Zanesville corporate identity within the Shinnick foundry lineage. Same June 23, 1863 Menke patent cast into the lid; same Civil War summer of production. The third confirmed Zanesville link in the Menke Patent Network and the second Shinnick-name firm documented at SSC — expanding the corporate map of mid-19th-century Zanesville iron from a single partnership to a multi-firm network.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle #8 | Civil War era | Menke Patent
Shinnick Woodside & Gibbons | c. 1875
Zanesville, Muskingum County SSC-SWG-KTL-1875-001
Successor firm in the Shinnick foundry lineage, active in Zanesville through at least the mid-1870s. Completes the three-firm corporate progression now documented at SSC: Shinnick & Co. and Shinnick Hattan & Co. casting under the June 23, 1863 Menke patent, and Shinnick Woodside & Gibbons carrying the Shinnick name forward into the post-Reconstruction era. The continuity of the Shinnick name across more than a decade of Zanesville's iron trade.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle | Post–Civil War era | Shinnick foundry lineage.
Region 4 — Columbus, Franklin County
Columbus held Ohio's most unusual cast iron operation — the Columbus Hollow Ware Co., which contracted with the Ohio State Penitentiary and used inmate labor for production. One of the rarest marks in American cast iron. 3 makers · 8 pieces.
Columbus Hollow Ware Co. | c. 1882–1902
Columbus, Franklin County SSC-CHW-KTL-8-TheFavorite-001 (+ 5 skillets)
"The Favorite" brand. Six pieces: No. 8 rimmed pot kettle and five skillets (#8–12). The Columbus Hollow Ware foundry was located in the Ohio State Penitentiary, contracting with the state to use inmate labor for production. One of the rarest marks in American cast iron.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle #8 | Skillets #8, #9, #10, #11, #12 | 6 total pieces
Brooks & Patton | 19th century
Columbus, Franklin County SSC-BPT-KTL-9-001
Tea kettle #9. Columbus hollow ware maker active in the 19th century. The Brooks & Patton mark is obscure and not well documented in the collector record.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle #9
A.G. Patton | 19th century
Columbus, Franklin County SSC-AGPAT-TK-001
Kettle. Columbus area maker — possible connection to Patton Mfg. Co. and the broader Columbus foundry community. Under ongoing research.
Pieces in collection: Kettle
Region 5 — Cleveland & Northern Ohio
Cleveland's industrial base supported a diverse foundry ecosystem producing everything from cookware to industrial hardware to advertising castings. 7 makers · 8 pieces.
Forest City Foundries | 19th century
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County SSC-FCF-SPD-MIN-NF-001
Miniature spider leg skillet — the Niagara pattern. A rare miniature form from Cleveland's foundry district. Spider leg skillets predate flat-bottom stovetop cooking.
Pieces in collection: Miniature spider leg skillet (Niagara)
Cleveland Foundry Co. | Pat. 1891
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County SSC-CLEVFDY-TRV-1891-001
Patented trivet, 1891. Decorative cast iron from Cleveland's ornamental foundry trade.
Pieces in collection: Trivet
Colonial Iron Works | 19th–20th century
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County SSC-CIW-PLQ-TM-001
Industrial plaque. Cleveland industrial manufacturer producing heavy castings and marked pieces for the commercial and industrial market.
Pieces in collection: Industrial plaque
Fanner Mfg. Co. | 19th–20th century
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County SSC-FAN-GMP-UNK-001
Glue melting pot. Fanner was a Cleveland manufacturer known for specialty industrial implements. The glue pot is an unusual form that extends SSC's holdings beyond cookware.
Pieces in collection: Glue melting pot
Superior Foundry Inc. | c. 1930
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County SSC-SUPERIOR-BWL-1930-001 / SSC-SUPERIOR-SCP-1930-001
Melting bowl and smelting scoop — two industrial pieces from Cleveland's 20th century foundry production.
Pieces in collection: Melting bowl | Smelting scoop
Lake City Malleable | c. 1920
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County SSC-LAKECITY-LDL-1920-001
Lead casting ladle #5. Cleveland malleable iron producer active in the early 20th century.
Pieces in collection: Lead casting ladle #5
Madison Foundry Co. | c. 1930
Cleveland, Cuyahoga County SSC-MADISON-ASH-1930-001
Enameled miniature skillet ashtray. A crossover piece between functional iron production and novelty/advertising ware.
Pieces in collection: Enameled mini skillet ashtray
Region 6 — Western Reserve, Lake County
Madison Township, Lake County — home of the Arcole Iron Works, the largest industry in Ohio in 1834. Bog iron. Lake Erie shipping. A furnace community larger than Cleveland. 1 maker · 1 piece.
★ THE BEDROCK — SSC-ARCOLE-GPT-001
Arcole Iron Works — Wilkeson, Seeley & Co. | c. 1832–1845 — Pre-Civil War
Madison Township, Lake County — Western Reserve SSC-ARCOLE-GPT-001
Three-footed hearth gypsy pot bearing the W.S. & Co. circular cartouche — Wilkeson, Seeley & Co., the partnership that acquired the Arcole furnace in 1831 and drove it to become the largest industry in Ohio in 1834, producing 1,000–1,500 tons of iron annually. Andrew Jackson was President when this pot was cast. The United States had 24 states. The community of Ellensburg surrounding the Arcole shipping port on Lake Erie was larger than Cleveland. Bottom gate mark on base confirms pre-1880s technology. Original age patina preserved. SSC Archival Black™ museum seasoning only. Not in CastIronCollector or WAGs databases. First-time documented.
Pieces in collection: Gypsy pot (3-leg hearth pot) | Pre-Civil War | Bottom gate mark | W.S. & Co. marking
Region 7 — Piqua, Sidney & Western Ohio
The Miami and Auglaize county corridor — home of Favorite Stove & Range (Piqua), Wagner Manufacturing (Sidney), Sidney Hollow Ware, Ahrens & Arnold (Wapakoneta), and Wapak Hollow Ware. The most concentrated collector geography in the SSC collection. Multiple makers · 25+ pieces.
Favorite Stove & Range Co. / Favorite Piqua Ware | c. 1916–1935
Piqua, Miami County SSC-PIQ / SSC-FAVPW / SSC-MIA (multiple)
Ten pieces across four brands: Smiley face logo skillets (#3, #5, #5B, #6, #7, #8), Miami dual-logo, Puritan trade brand (Sears), and unmarked attribution study pieces. One of the most complete Favorite Piqua Ware holdings in the collector community.
Pieces in collection: 10 pieces — Skillets #3–#8 across Smiley, Miami, Puritan brands
Favorite Stove & Range Co. / Favorite Piqua Ware
Wagner Manufacturing Co. | c. 1891–1959
Sidney, Shelby County SSC-WGNR / SSC-WAG (multiple)
The complete Wagner Ware Sidney -O- skillet set — No. 0 through No. 14. Plus specialty and variant pieces: nickel-plated, early arc logo, bacon and egg skillet, Krusty Korn Kobs, National dual-logo, waffle irons, griddles, roasters, Dutch ovens, and more. The complete skillet set is designated for future donation to the Shelby County Historical Society in Sidney, Ohio.
Pieces in collection: Wagner Ware Sidney -O- skillet set No. 0–14 | 20+ specialty & variant pieces
Sidney Hollow Ware Co. | c. 1886–1897
Sidney, Shelby County SSC-SHW-SKL-9-001
Skillet #9. The predecessor company sold to Wagner Manufacturing in 1897 for $35,000. Sidney Hollow Ware pieces — particularly the script logo — are among the most sought-after pre-Wagner Ohio marks.
Pieces in collection: Skillet #9 | Pre-Wagner predecessor
Ahrens & Arnold | 19th century
Wapakoneta, Auglaize County SSC-AA-SKI-3-Ahrens & Arnold-001
Skillet #3. Wapakoneta hollow ware maker — a documented obscure Ohio mark from the same city that produced Wapak Hollow Ware and the unattributed waffle iron in the SSC collection.
Pieces in collection: Skillet #3
Wapak Hollow Ware Co. | c. 1903–1926
Wapakoneta, Auglaize County SSC-WAPK-KTL-9-001 / SSC-WAP-SKL-3-Indian Head-002
Two pieces: kettle #9 and Indian Head logo skillet #3. Wapak is one of the more collectible Ohio makers outside the Wagner/Griswold mainstream, particularly the Indian Head logo pieces.
Pieces in collection: Kettle #9 | Skillet #3 Indian Head
Wapakoneta (Unattributed Waffle Iron) | 19th century
Wapakoneta, Auglaize County SSC-WAPAKO-WFL-258-001
Waffle iron #258. Possibly connected to Wapak Hollow Ware — unattributed but with Wapakoneta area provenance. Under ongoing research.
Pieces in collection: Waffle iron #258 | Attribution under research
Wapakoneta (Unattributed Waffle Iron)
Region 8 — Northwest Ohio
Williams County, Lucas County, and the agricultural implement corridor — the geographic heart of SSC's founding focus. 4 makers · 4 pieces.
Bryan Plow Co. | 19th century Bryan, Williams County · SSC-BRYAN-SLK-001
Agricultural implement component — plow seat and footrest. The only implement piece in the SSC collection, extending the mandate beyond hollow ware to pre-1905 Ohio manufacturing broadly. Bryan is the seat of Williams County.
Pieces in collection: Plow seat & footrest implement
Hercules Anchor Co. | Pat. Aug. 4, 1903 Toledo, Lucas County · SSC-HERC-IRON-001
No. 2 building wall anchor plate, patented August 4, 1903. An industrial casting — the iron anchor that held masonry walls to structural framing in Ohio's early 20th century buildings. Possible successor: Marleau Hercules Fence Co.
Pieces in collection: Building wall anchor plate #2 | Industrial | SSC reference format document
American Wooden Ware Mfg. Co. | c. 1900 Toledo, Lucas County · SSC-AWWCO-LDW-001
Cast iron butter churn lid weight, 6¼ inch diameter, marked AM. W.W. MFG. CO. / TOLEDO, OHIO in raised letters around the rim. The first publicly searchable cast iron documentation of this Toledo wooden ware manufactory — the maker does not appear in the CastIronCollector foundry database or the WAGs compiled foundry list. Primary corporate documentation survives in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Burdick Bequest (Catalogue 110 of Wooden Ware, Object Number 1970.691.1). A crossover artifact bridging the cast iron and wooden ware collector traditions.
Pieces in collection: Butter churn lid weight | Industrial / domestic crossover | First-time documented maker
Union Mfg. Co. | 19th–20th century Toledo, Lucas County · SSC-TOLEDO-001
Cover face plate. Toledo industrial manufacturer producing architectural and utility castings.
Pieces in collection: Cover face plate
Williams County, Lucas County, and the agricultural implement corridor — the geographic heart of SSC's founding focus. 3 makers · 3 pieces.
Region 9 — Northeast & East Ohio
Akron, Canton, Ravenna, Wooster, Crestline, and the eastern Ohio manufacturing corridor. Diverse makers from stove hardware to specialty implements. 7 makers · 7 pieces.
Canton Cake Griddle Co. | Pat. 1898
Canton, Stark County SSC-CANTON-GRD-1898-001
Patented pancake/egg flipper griddle. Canton manufacturer with a specific patented specialty form.
Pieces in collection: Pancake/egg flipper griddle
Ney Mfg. Co. | Pat. 1879
Canton, Stark County SSC-NEYMFG-PLY-403-001
Pulley #403. Canton industrial manufacturer active in the late 19th century.
Pieces in collection: Pulley #403
A.C. Williams Co. | c. 1893
Ravenna, Portage County SSC-ACWILLIAMS-IRN-1893-001
Sad iron. A.C. Williams was a well-documented Ravenna maker — their cast iron toys and banks are among the most collected American cast iron outside cookware. The SSC piece is a sad iron, a more functional form.
Pieces in collection: Sad iron
Akron Brass Mfg. Co. | 20th century
Wooster, Wayne County SSC-AKR-OBJ-UNK-001
Cast iron object. Despite the Brass name, produced cast iron pieces. Wooster location documented.
Pieces in collection: Cast iron object
Schill Brothers Co. | 19th–20th century
Crestline, Crawford County SSC-SCH-EMB-UNK-001
Stove/furnace emblem. Crawford County industrial maker producing marked stove hardware.
Pieces in collection: Stove/furnace emblem
Taylor & Boggis Foundry Co. | 19th–20th century
Cleveland area SSC-TB-TOR-00-001
Hand torch. Industrial foundry producing specialty tools and implements.
Pieces in collection: Hand torch
Newman Bros. Inc. | 20th century
Ohio (city TBD) SSC-NBI-PLQ-LS-001
Table frame/plaque. Ohio manufacturer — city under research.
Pieces in collection: Table frame/plaque
Champion Hardware Co. | Copr. 1931
Geneva, Ashtabula County SSC-CHMP-BKE-326-001
Cathedral bookends #326. Geneva builders'-hardware foundry that also cast toys, banks, and decorative novelties.
Pieces in collection: Cathedral bookends #326
Region 10 — Southeast & Appalachian Ohio
Martins Ferry, Ironton, Dover, Portsmouth, and the Ohio River corridor. 5 makers · 5 pieces.
H. Wells & Bros. | c. 1867
Martins Ferry, Belmont County SSC-WELLS-KTL-1867-001
Tea kettle (extra large). Martins Ferry is on the Ohio River in eastern Ohio — part of the Ohio River foundry corridor that produced hollow ware alongside industrial castings.
Pieces in collection: Tea kettle (extra large)
Foster Stove & Range | c. 1935
Ironton, Lawrence County SSC-FOSTER-FRY-8-1935-001
Chicken fryer #8. Ironton is in the heart of the Hanging Rock Iron Region — Ohio's southern iron corridor.
Pieces in collection: Chicken fryer #8
Dover Mfg. Co. | Pat. 1900
Dover / Canal Dover, Tuscarawas County SSC-DOVERMFG-SAD-4-001
Sad iron #4. CAUTION: Dover Mfg. Co. produced asbestos-lined irons — do NOT oven dry this piece. Handle per asbestos conservation protocols.
Pieces in collection: Sad iron #4 | ⚠ ASBESTOS — do NOT oven dry
Ohio Stove Co. | c. 1875
Portsmouth, Scioto County SSC-OHIOSTOVE-PAN-1875-001
Pearl sad iron pan #7. Portsmouth stove manufacturer active in the 1870s.
Pieces in collection: Pearl sad iron pan #7
W.F. Robertson & Co. | 19th century
Beverly, Washington County SSC-WELLS-KTL-1867-001
Washington County maker — southeast Ohio. Obscure mark with limited collector documentation.
Pieces in collection: Extra Large Tea Kettle c.1867
Region 11 — Statewide, Scattered & Specialty
Makers whose city is confirmed Ohio but specific location TBD, plus specialty and non-cookware categories. Also includes Kenton Hardware (Kenton), Vitantonio (Willoughby), Ober (Chagrin Falls). 10+ makers.
Kenton Hardware Co. | c. 1900
Kenton, Hardin County SSC-KENTON-BNK-1900-001
Cast iron savings bank. Kenton Hardware was one of Ohio's major producers of cast iron toy banks and novelty items — among the most collectible categories in American cast iron outside cookware.
Pieces in collection: Savings bank
Vitantonio | 20th century
Willoughby, Lake County SSC-VITA-PIZ-5-001
Pizzelle iron #5. An Italian-American specialty manufacturer in Willoughby, Lake County — producing traditional Italian wafer irons for the Cleveland-area immigrant community.
Pieces in collection: Pizzelle iron #5
Ober | 19th–20th century
Chagrin Falls, Cuyahoga County SSC-OBER-TRV-SQ-001
Trivet. Chagrin Falls decorative foundry producing ornamental cast iron.
Pieces in collection: Trivet
Oneta | c. 1915
Ohio (city TBD) SSC-ONETA-SKL-9-1915-001
Skillet #9. Ohio hollow ware maker — city under research. The Oneta mark is obscure and not documented in standard collector references.
Pieces in collection: Skillet #9 | City TBD
Brand's Famous Furnaces | 19th–20th century
Ohio (city TBD) SSC-BRF-PLQ-UNK-ADV-001
Nameplate/plaque. Ohio furnace manufacturer — advertising piece documenting the broader Ohio stove and furnace trade.
Pieces in collection: Nameplate/plaque
Adamson Mfg. Co. | Pat. 1913
East Palestine, Columbiana County SSC-ADAM-VUL-001
Vulcanizer. East Palestine specialty manufacturer — the vulcanizer is one of the most unusual pieces in the SSC collection, extending the Ohio cast iron mandate to industrial process equipment.
Pieces in collection: Vulcanizer
Buckeye (Dayton area) | c. 1900
Dayton area SSC-BUCKEYE-CAP-1900-001
Cast iron cap. Buckeye-branded pieces appear across multiple Ohio cities — this piece is attributed to the Dayton area.
Pieces in collection: Cast iron cap
The Ohio Foundry Directory is updated as new makers are acquired and documented. All research is original primary-source work. Where documentation is incomplete, limitations are stated explicitly. SSC does not speculate beyond the evidence.
The iron endures. The markings tell the truth. The story deserves to be told.