Favorite Piqua Ware | Skillet | No. 3 | Smiley Logo | Smooth Bottom

Favorite Stove & Range Co. | Piqua, Ohio | c. 1916–1935 | SSC Museum Collection

★ SECOND SPECIMEN — ACQUIRED IN MIXED LOT ★

Overview

This is an authenticated Favorite Piqua Ware No. 3 Skillet featuring the famous "Smiley" Logo. Like the first specimen in the SSC collection, this piece has a smooth bottom without a heat ring — confirming this variant is consistent for #3 Smiley Logo production.

This is the second specimen of the #3 Smiley Logo Smooth Bottom in the SSC collection. It was acquired as part of a three-piece mixed lot that also included Griswold and Lodge skillets, representing excellent value for building collection depth and trading stock.

Mixed Lot Acquisition

This piece was acquired as part of a "3 Pc Grab Bag Lot Vintage Cast Iron Skillets" containing pieces from three different foundries:

• Favorite Piqua Ware: No. 3 Smiley Logo Skillet (THIS PIECE)

• Griswold: (To be documented separately)

• Lodge: (To be documented separately)

Lot Acquisition Strategy: Mixed lots can provide excellent value for collectors. While individual pieces may not always be exactly what's needed, the per-piece cost is often significantly lower than individual purchases. This lot provided three quality vintage skillets at approximately $32.67 each — well below typical individual market prices.

The Smooth Bottom Variant — Confirmed

With two specimens now in the collection, both showing the same smooth-bottom construction without heat rings, this confirms that the smooth bottom was a consistent production feature for #3 Smiley Logo skillets — not a one-off variant.

Possible Explanations:

• Small Size Design: Heat rings provided less thermal benefit on small cooking surfaces

• Modern Stove Compatibility: Smooth bottoms worked better on electric and gas ranges

• Late Production Standard: May have been standard for #3 size throughout Smiley Logo era

Authentication Analysis

This piece has been verified as an authentic Favorite Piqua Ware Smiley Logo skillet based on the following characteristics:

✅ "FAVORITE PIQUA WARE" text in arc — correct placement and font

✅ Curved "smiley" embellishment below text — the defining characteristic

✅ Thinner lettering style — distinguishes Smiley from earlier Block Logo

✅ Size "3" marking present

✅ Smooth machined cooking surface

✅ No markings on cooking surface — correct for Favorite pieces

✅ Two opposing pour spouts

✅ No heat ring — matches first specimen, confirming variant consistency

✅ Lightweight construction — characteristic of quality Ohio foundries

Identification & Markings

Maker: Favorite Stove & Range Company

Location: Piqua, Ohio

Item Type: Skillet

Size: No. 3 (smallest standard size)

Logo Type: Smiley Logo (curved embellishment)

Heat Ring: NO — Smooth bottom variant

Era: c. 1916–1935 (approximately 90–100+ years old)

Bottom Markings:

• "FAVORITE PIQUA WARE" (in arc)

• Curved "smiley" embellishment

• "3" (size number)

• Smooth/flat bottom (no heat ring)

Measurements (Typical for No. 3)

• Diameter (spout to spout): ~6 1/2 inches

• Cooking Surface: ~4 1/2 inches

• Depth: ~1 1/4 inches

• Weight: Very light — smallest standard size

Condition Summary

Based on images:

✅ Smiley Logo clearly visible and legible

✅ Size "3" marking present

✅ Smooth cooking surface with good seasoning

✅ Good overall condition

✅ Authentic 90–100+ year old artifact

Catalog & Naming (SSC Standards)

Catalog Number

SSC-FPW-SKL-03-SMLY-SB-002

Inventory Name

Catalog Code Key

• SSC: Steve's Seasoned Classics

• FPW: Favorite Piqua Ware

• SKL: Skillet

• 03: Size No. 3

• SMLY: Smiley Logo

• SB: Smooth Bottom (no heat ring)

• 002: Second specimen

Acquisition Details

Purchase Date: 2025 (exact date per lot invoice)

Acquisition Method: Mixed Lot (3 Pc Grab Bag)

Lot Contents: Griswold, Lodge, Favorite Piqua Ware skillets

Lot Total: $98.00

Allocated Cost (This Piece): $32.67 (1/3 of lot)

Lot Cost Breakdown:

• Item Price: $77.00

• Shipping: $17.73

• Additional Fees: $3.27

• Total Lot Cost: $98.00

SSC #3 Smiley Logo Specimens Comparison

The SSC collection now includes two #3 Smiley Logo Smooth Bottom skillets:

• Specimen 001: $86.77 (Nov 26, 2025) — Seller: secondhandsultan — "Gorgeous" condition

• Specimen 002: $32.67 (Mixed Lot) — THIS PIECE

Combined #3 Investment: $119.44 (two pieces)

Average Cost per Piece: $59.72

Key Finding: Both specimens confirm the #3 Smiley Logo was produced WITHOUT a heat ring as standard.

SSC Favorite Piqua Ware Smiley Logo Collection

With this acquisition, the SSC Smiley Logo collection totals seven pieces across five sizes:

• #3 Smiley Logo (Smooth Bottom) — x2: $119.44 total

• #5 Smiley Logo (Pattern B) — x2: $131.96 total

• #6 Smiley Logo (SECOND RAREST): $311.43

• #7 Smiley Logo (Double Dot): $182.36

• #8 Smiley Logo (Pattern B): $117.14

Total Favorite Piqua Ware Smiley Logo Investment: $862.33 (7 pieces, 5 sizes)

Preservation Statement

Preserved as the second specimen of the Favorite Piqua Ware #3 Smiley Logo Smooth Bottom variant, this skillet confirms that the no-heat-ring design was standard production for this size — not a one-off exception. Acquired through a mixed lot at exceptional value, this piece provides the SSC collection with trading stock or a dedicated user piece while the first specimen is preserved for display. The consistent smooth-bottom construction across both specimens contributes valuable documentation about Favorite Piqua Ware production practices for their smallest standard skillet size. Steve's Seasoned Classics maintains this duplicate as part of responsible collection management and research documentation.