Griswold No. 0 Skillet — Large Block Logo
SSC MUSEUM COLLECTION
Catalog No. SSC-GRIS-SKL-00-LBL-001
Pattern 562 | No. 0 Size | Erie, Pennsylvania
Circa 1920–1940 • Griswold Manufacturing Co.
Bottom view showing the Large Block Logo (LBL) Griswold cross-and-circle trademark with “CAST IRON SKILLET” at 12 o’clock, “GRISWOLD” across the center cross, size “0” above the logo, “ERIE PA.” below, and pattern number “562” at 6 o’clock. The heat ring is clearly visible as the raised outer rim encircling the base.
The smallest skillet Griswold ever made. The No. 0, pattern 562, is a miniature that fits in the palm of your hand—roughly four and a quarter inches across the cooking surface, seven inches from handle tip to opposing rim. It is not a toy, not a salesman’s sample (despite being frequently marketed as such), and not a novelty. Griswold cataloged it as a functional piece of cookware, sized for individual-portion cooking: a single fried egg, a pat of melted butter, a small sauce reduction, a tableside presentation of sizzling garlic. The No. 0 was the bottom of the size run that extended upward through the No. 14 and, in rare cases, the massive No. 20 hotel skillet.
This specimen carries the Large Block Logo (LBL)—the bold, block-lettered version of Griswold’s famous cross-and-circle trademark that was introduced around 1920 and used through approximately 1940. The block lettering replaced the earlier slanted, slightly italicized “slant logo” that had been in use since about 1906. The LBL is one of the most recognizable and collected of Griswold’s logo variants, representing the company’s peak production period when Griswold’s Erie, Pennsylvania foundry was producing the finest cast iron cookware in America.
The presence of a heat ring on this specimen is a significant dating indicator. Heat rings—the raised outer rim on the base that allowed the skillet to seat properly in a wood or coal stove eye—were standard on Griswold skillets through the 1930s. As American kitchens transitioned to electric and gas ranges, which required flat-bottomed cookware for proper heat contact, Griswold phased out the heat ring on most sizes. The combination of the Large Block Logo with a heat ring places this skillet in the earlier portion of the LBL era—approximately 1920 to the early 1930s—before smooth-bottom production became dominant.
Piece Details
Top view showing the cooking surface, dual pour spouts, and flat handle with teardrop hanging hole. The cooking surface shows some residual seasoning and surface patina. The seller noted the piece needs seasoning—it has been stripped or partially cleaned but not re-seasoned.
Manufacturer
Griswold Manufacturing Co.
Brand
Griswold
Piece Type
Skillet
Size Number
No. 0
Pattern Number
562
Logo Style
Large Block Logo (LBL) — bold block lettering in cross-and-circle trademark
Base Marking
“CAST IRON SKILLET” arched at 12 o’clock; Griswold cross-and-circle logo center with “0” size and “GRISWOLD”; “ERIE PA.” below logo; “562” pattern number at 6 o’clock
Handle Marking
“0” on exterior of handle
Bottom Configuration
Heat ring (raised outer ring on base for wood/coal stove eye seating)
Pour Spouts
Two opposing spouts at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions
Handle Style
Flat handle with teardrop hanging hole
Dimensions
Approximately 4¼” diameter cooking surface; 7” overall length with handle
Date of Manufacture
Circa 1920–1940 (Large Block Logo with heat ring era)
Place of Manufacture
Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania
Condition
Good — structurally sound; no cracks or chips; sits flat; markings legible but with some wear; needs seasoning per seller description; heat ring intact
Acquisition Date
September 9, 2025
Acquisition Source
eBay — Seller: bras6972
eBay Item Number
187538822060
Order Number
24-13555-51306
Purchase Price
$66.00 item + $10.50 shipping + $6.48 tax = $82.98 total
SSC Catalog Number
SSC-GRIS-SKL-00-LBL-001
The Company: Griswold Manufacturing Co.
Griswold Manufacturing is the most famous name in American cast iron cookware—the standard against which all other foundries are measured by collectors, historians, and cooks. The company was founded in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1865, when Matthew Griswold and his cousins J.C. and Samuel Selden established a small hardware manufacturing operation producing butt hinges and stove furniture. By the 1870s, the firm had expanded into hollow ware—skillets, kettles, waffle irons, and other cast iron cookware—and the quality of its castings quickly established a reputation that would endure for nearly a century.
Matthew Griswold bought out the Selden family’s interest in 1884, and the company operated under his family’s direction until 1946. During this six-decade span, Griswold produced an extraordinary range of cast iron, cast aluminum, and enameled cookware, all manufactured at the Erie foundry. The company’s cross-and-circle trademark, introduced around 1905–1906, became the most recognized symbol in American cast iron. Griswold skillets were renowned for their thin walls, smooth cooking surfaces, lightweight construction, and precise machining—qualities that set them apart from heavier, rougher competitors.
The company faced increasing financial difficulties through the 1940s and 1950s, struggling against competition from modern materials and internal labor disputes. In 1957, Griswold was sold to the company that had already acquired Wagner Manufacturing of Sidney, Ohio. The Erie foundry eventually ceased production, and the Griswold name was phased out by the early 1970s. Today, vintage Griswold cookware is among the most avidly collected cast iron in the world, with prices for rare pieces—particularly the early “Erie” marked pieces and the legendary Spider Skillet—reaching into the thousands.
The No. 0: Griswold’s Smallest Skillet
Griswold’s regular skillet line ranged from No. 0 through No. 14, with the enormous No. 20 “hotel skillet” produced in limited quantities. The No. 0 occupies the extreme small end of this range—a miniature that is nonetheless a fully functional piece of cookware rather than a toy or promotional item. Griswold also produced a “00” size, which was even smaller and was used primarily as an ashtray or individual butter warmer.
The No. 0 was manufactured across multiple logo eras, appearing with the slant logo, the Large Block Logo, and the small block logo. The LBL version with heat ring—like this specimen—is among the most commonly encountered of the No. 0 variants, though “commonly encountered” is a relative term for a piece that was always produced in lower volumes than the mid-range sizes. The No. 0 was never the workhorse of anyone’s kitchen in the way that the No. 8 was. It was a specialty item—purchased for a specific use or as part of a collector’s effort to assemble a complete size run.
For SSC, the No. 0 serves a specific documentary purpose. The SSC collection includes a complete Wagner Ware Sidney-O skillet set from No. 0 through No. 14—Wagner being Griswold’s great Ohio rival. Having a Griswold No. 0 in the collection provides a direct point of comparison between the two foundries at the same size: casting weight, wall thickness, handle design, logo placement, heat ring configuration, and overall quality of execution. The two No. 0 specimens, documented side by side, will illustrate the design philosophies that distinguished America’s two greatest cast iron manufacturers.
Physical Characteristics & Condition Assessment
The No. 0 is a tiny skillet—small enough to sit comfortably in one hand. The cooking surface is approximately 4¼ inches in diameter, with the overall length extending to about 7 inches with the handle. The flat handle terminates in a teardrop hanging hole and carries the “0” size marking on its exterior. Two opposing pour spouts interrupt the rim at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. The heat ring on the base is intact and well-defined.
The Large Block Logo on the base is legible but shows some wear—the “CAST IRON SKILLET” text at 12 o’clock and the “GRISWOLD” lettering across the cross are readable but not as crisply defined as a mint specimen would show. This level of wear is consistent with a piece that has seen some use over its roughly 90–100 year life. The “562” pattern number at 6 o’clock and the “ERIE PA.” marking below the logo are both present and legible.
Condition is assessed as Good. The piece is structurally sound with no cracks, chips, or repairs. It sits flat with no warping or wobble. The cooking surface shows residual partial seasoning and some surface variation—the seller described the piece as needing seasoning, indicating it has been cleaned or partially stripped but not re-seasoned. Under SSC’s Archival Black™ protocol (non-destructive only: lye degreasing and electrolysis, never grinding or sanding), this piece will be processed and preserved for display.
Collector’s Context
Griswold is the blue-chip name in American cast iron collecting. The No. 0 with Large Block Logo and heat ring is a recognized collectible that regularly appears on the secondary market, with prices ranging from approximately $50 to $150 depending on condition, logo clarity, and seller. At $66 plus shipping ($82.98 total), this acquisition falls within the fair market range for a specimen in good but not mint condition.
For SSC’s purposes, the Griswold No. 0 adds an important comparative dimension to a collection that is primarily focused on Ohio foundries. Griswold’s Erie, Pennsylvania operation was the most direct competitor to Ohio’s Wagner Ware (Sidney), and the two companies’ products represent parallel but distinct approaches to cast iron cookware design. Having both a Wagner No. 0 and a Griswold No. 0 in the same documented collection creates the kind of side-by-side comparison that serious cast iron scholarship depends on.
Provenance & Acquisition
This No. 0 skillet was acquired on September 9, 2025, via eBay from seller bras6972, under eBay item number 187538822060 (order 24-13555-51306). The listing described the piece as “Vintage Erie Pa. Cast Iron #0 Griswold Skillet 562 w/ Heat Ring ~ Needs Seasoned.” The piece was purchased at $66.00 plus $10.50 USPS Ground Advantage shipping and $6.48 in sales tax, for a total acquisition cost of $82.98.
Physical examination on receipt confirmed the condition as described: structurally sound, legible markings, intact heat ring, no cracks or damage, needs seasoning. The piece has been logged into the SSC collection under catalog number SSC-GRIS-SKL-00-LBL-001.
Why This Piece Matters
The Griswold No. 0 matters to the SSC collection because comparison is the engine of understanding. Ohio’s foundries—Wagner, Sidney Hollow Ware, Columbus Hollow Ware, Favorite Stove & Range, Wapak—did not operate in a vacuum. They competed with Griswold, and Griswold competed with them. The design choices, casting techniques, logo conventions, and quality standards that defined Ohio cast iron were shaped by this competition. Documenting Griswold alongside the Ohio foundries is not a departure from SSC’s mission—it is a necessary complement to it.
The No. 0 size, specifically, allows this comparison at the extreme end of the scale—the smallest production skillet in both foundries’ catalogs. How did Griswold handle the challenge of casting a functional skillet at miniature scale, and how did Wagner? What design compromises did each foundry make? What did each company choose to prioritize in a skillet too small for everyday cooking but too well-made to dismiss as a novelty? The answers are in the iron, and the iron is now documented in the SSC collection.
The iron endures. The markings tell the truth. The story deserves to be told.
Sources & Further Reading
CastIronCollector.com — “Evolution of the Griswold Trademark”: Comprehensive timeline of Griswold logo variants from the Erie mark through the small block logo, with dating guidance for each era.
CastIronCollector.com — “Evolution of the Griswold Skillet”: Detailed documentation of design changes in Griswold skillets including handle styles, heat ring transitions, and pattern numbering.
BoonieHicks.com — “Griswold Cast Iron Skillets Simple Identification Guide”: Collector reference for dating Griswold skillets by logo, with specific notes on the Large Block Logo era (c. 1924–1940).
BoonieHicks.com — “History Guide To The Griswold Manufacturing Co.”: Corporate history and product line documentation.
Wikipedia — “Griswold Manufacturing”: General corporate history including founding, key dates, and 1957 acquisition by Wagner/Randall Corporation.
WorthPoint.com — Historical auction records for Griswold #0 pattern 562 specimens with pricing and condition data.
About Steve’s Seasoned Classics
Steve’s Seasoned Classics is an online museum dedicated to preserving and documenting the heritage of American cast iron cookware, with a focus on Ohio foundry pieces from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The SSC collection features over 60 pieces with detailed provenance, historical research, and photography for each item.
