National / Wagner Ware Sidney –O– Dual Logo No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet #1358
SSC MUSEUM COLLECTION
Catalog No. SSC-WAG-SKL-08-NAT-1358-001
“National” | Wagner Ware Sidney –O– | No. 8 Skillet | Sidney, Ohio
Catalog No. 1358 A • Wagner Manufacturing Company • Circa 1924–1945
Bottom view showing the dual-logo configuration: “NATIONAL” in arc at 12 o’clock, stylized “Wagner Ware / SIDNEY –O–” logo centered, and “1358 A” catalog number and pattern letter near the handle. Heat ring visible on the base.
Not every piece of cast iron that left the Wagner foundry in Sidney, Ohio carried the Wagner name as its primary identity. Some carried a different name first—“NATIONAL”—arched across the top of the skillet in bold letters, with the Wagner Ware stylized logo positioned below it in a supporting role. This was Wagner’s economy brand: a line of cast iron cookware designed to reach budget-conscious consumers at a lower price point than the flagship Wagner Ware line. Same foundry. Same iron. Same Sidney, Ohio craftsmanship. Different market strategy.
This No. 8 skillet carries the dual-logo configuration that defines the most collectible National pieces: the “NATIONAL” arc at 12 o’clock and the centered stylized Wagner Ware Sidney –O– logo in the middle of the base. The catalog number 1358 A identifies it specifically as a National No. 8 skillet—a different numbering series from the regular Wagner line, which used 1058 for its No. 8. The presence of both logos on a single piece tells a story of brand management in the early 20th-century American cookware market: Wagner wanted the National name front and center for its economy buyers, but was confident enough in its own reputation to stamp the Wagner Ware logo right below it.
The National brand occupied an interesting position in the market. It offered slightly shorter sidewalls and a more limited size range than the flagship line, allowing Wagner to sell at a lower price without directly undercutting its premium products. For a Depression-era household that couldn’t afford a Wagner Ware skillet, a National was the next best thing—and it came from the same foundry. Today, the dual-logo Nationals are prized by collectors precisely because they document this layered brand strategy while delivering the same quality of casting that made Wagner famous.
Piece Details
Interior cooking surface view showing smooth machined finish. The dual pour spouts and teardrop handle are characteristic of Wagner’s standard skillet design, shared across both the National and flagship Wagner Ware lines.
Manufacturer
Wagner Manufacturing Company (Sidney, Ohio)
Brand
National (Wagner’s economy brand)
Piece Type
Cast Iron Skillet
Size Number
No. 8
Catalog Number
1358 A
Bottom Marking
“NATIONAL” in arc at 12 o’clock position; stylized “Wagner Ware” logo centered with “SIDNEY” and “–O–” below; “1358 A” catalog number and pattern letter near handle
Handle Marking
None visible
Bottom Configuration
Heat ring
Cooking Surface
Smooth machined interior
Pour Spouts
Dual opposing pour spouts
Diameter
Approximately 10 inches
Date of Manufacture
Circa 1924–1945
Place of Manufacture
Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio
Condition
Very Good — both logos fully legible; catalog number and pattern letter clear; heat ring intact; smooth cooking surface; no cracks, warping, or repairs; seasoned surface
Collection Placement
Wagner Specialty & Variant Collection
Acquisition Date
October 11, 2025
Acquisition Source
eBay — Seller: finsauctions
eBay Item Number
226981017544
Order Number
06-13694-52532
Purchase Price
$45.00 item + $14.90 shipping + $5.08 tax = $64.98 total
SSC Catalog Number
SSC-WAG-SKL-08-NAT-1358-001
Historical Background
The National Brand: Wagner’s Economy Line
The National brand was one of several economy and store brands that Wagner Manufacturing Company produced alongside its flagship Wagner Ware line. The Cast Iron Collector documents National production as spanning from the 1890s to the 1940s, making it one of Wagner’s longest-running secondary brands. The name was likely chosen as a generic, patriotic identifier that could stand on its own without immediately revealing the Wagner connection—a common practice among manufacturers who wanted to serve multiple market segments without diluting their premium brand.
There is evidence to suggest that the National brand may have been acquired by Wagner through the 1897 purchase of the Sidney Hollow Ware Company from Phillip Smith. Whether National originated at Sidney Hollow Ware or was created by Wagner after the acquisition remains uncertain, but the brand’s earliest appearances coincide with the period when Wagner was consolidating its position as Sidney’s dominant hollowware producer. Online sellers occasionally claim, erroneously, that National was a predecessor of Wagner. It was not—it was a subsidiary brand, produced in the same foundry on the same equipment.
Economy Branding in the Cast Iron Industry
The practice of offering economy brands was widespread among American cast iron manufacturers in the early 20th century. Griswold had Victor. Wagner had National. The economics were straightforward: by using a different brand name, limiting the available sizes, and slightly reducing sidewall depth, a manufacturer could offer pieces at a lower price without cannibalizing sales of its primary line. A housewife shopping for a skillet in the 1930s could choose between a Wagner Ware No. 8 at the full retail price or a National No. 8 for a few cents less—and both came from the same molds in the same foundry in Sidney, Ohio.
National skillets were typically offered only in a small range of sizes—most commonly 7, 8, and 9—with sidewalls a fraction of an inch shorter than the corresponding Wagner Ware pieces. The casting quality, machining, and surface finish were identical to the flagship line. The difference was in the branding, the slightly reduced material, and the price. For the budget-conscious consumer of the Depression era, that difference mattered. For the modern collector, the identical construction quality is precisely what makes National pieces interesting.
The Dual Logo Configuration
National pieces exist in several marking configurations that evolved over the brand’s history. The earliest pieces carry only the “NATIONAL” arc trademark with no Wagner identification. Later versions added the Wagner stylized logo below the National name, creating the “dual logo” configuration seen on this skillet. The Cast Iron Collector documents the dual-logo Nationals with catalog numbers as dating to the period after 1924, when Wagner adopted its catalog numbering system, and continuing through the mid-1940s when National production appears to have ceased.
The centered placement of the stylized Wagner Ware Sidney –O– logo on this skillet is significant. On regular Wagner Ware skillets, the stylized logo was typically positioned at 12 o’clock. On the dual-logo Nationals, it was moved to the center of the base to make room for the “NATIONAL” arc above. This centered stylized logo placement was also seen on some regular Wagner Ware skillets from about 1924 to 1935—a period when Wagner was experimenting with logo positioning across its product lines.
Catalog Number 1358: The National Numbering System
Wagner used a separate catalog numbering series for its National line. Where the regular Wagner No. 8 skillet carried catalog number 1058, the National No. 8 was assigned 1358. This parallel numbering system allowed the foundry to track production and inventory for each brand independently. The pattern letter “A” following the catalog number indicates the specific pattern variant used for this casting—a detail that helps researchers track changes to mold designs over time.
SSC Collection Context
This National dual-logo skillet joins the SSC’s Wagner Specialty & Variant Collection, which documents the full range of Wagner’s production beyond the standard flagship line. The collection already includes Wagner Ware Sidney –O– pieces, specialty forms, and variant markings. The addition of a National economy brand piece expands the collection’s coverage into Wagner’s multi-brand marketing strategy—a dimension of the company’s history that is often overlooked in favor of the more recognizable Wagner Ware and pie logo pieces.
The dual-logo National is particularly valuable for the SSC’s documentary mission because it tells two stories simultaneously: the story of Wagner’s manufacturing excellence (the casting quality is indistinguishable from the flagship line) and the story of how American manufacturers navigated price-sensitive markets during the early 20th century. This skillet is not just a piece of cookware—it’s a marketing artifact, a document of brand strategy cast in iron.
The iron endures. The markings tell the truth. The story deserves to be told.
National Brand — Production Timeline
1891
Wagner Manufacturing Company incorporated in Sidney, Ohio. Early production includes cast iron hollowware under the Wagner name.
1897
Wagner acquires competitor Sidney Hollow Ware from Phillip Smith. Evidence suggests the National brand may have originated with this acquisition.
c. 1890s–1910s
Earliest National-branded cast iron produced. These early pieces carry only the “NATIONAL” arc marking without the Wagner stylized logo. The National brand is positioned as Wagner’s economy line—slightly smaller sidewalls, limited size range, lower price point.
c. 1914–1920s
National production continues with arc logo only. Wagner begins branding its primary line as “Wagner Ware” around 1914. National remains a separate economy identity.
c. 1922–1924
Wagner introduces its stylized logo with the looped “W.” The National/Wagner Ware dual logo configuration begins, combining the “NATIONAL” arc at 12 o’clock with the centered stylized Wagner Ware Sidney –O– logo and a catalog number.
c. 1924–1945
Peak production of dual-logo National skillets. Catalog number 1358 designates the National No. 8 skillet. Most dual-logo Nationals feature heat rings, with smooth-bottom examples being rarely seen.
c. 1940s
National brand production appears to wind down as World War II diverts manufacturing resources. The economy brand does not appear to survive into the postwar era.
1952
Randall Company of Cincinnati acquires Wagner Manufacturing Company.
1959
Last year of collectible Wagner production. “SIDNEY –O–” marking removed after this date.
2025
Steve’s Seasoned Classics acquires this National dual-logo No. 8 skillet from eBay seller finsauctions. The piece is documented as SSC-WAG-SKL-08-NAT-1358-001.
Why This Piece Matters
The National dual-logo skillet documents a practice that was essential to the business model of every major American cast iron manufacturer but is rarely discussed in the collecting community: the economy brand. Wagner didn’t just make Wagner Ware. It made National, Long Life, Wardway for Montgomery Ward, and other branded lines—all from the same foundry, all in the same iron, all with the same craftsmanship. The dual-logo National is the clearest physical evidence of this strategy because it puts both names on the same piece of iron, making the connection impossible to miss.
For the SSC, this piece fills a narrative gap. The museum documents what Ohio’s foundries made, and that includes not just the premium products but the economy lines that brought quality cast iron into the kitchens of working families who couldn’t afford the top-tier price. A National skillet from the Wagner foundry cooked every bit as well as a Wagner Ware skillet—it just cost a little less and had slightly shorter walls. The iron didn’t know the difference. Neither did the food.
Sources & Further Reading
Cast Iron Collector — Economy Brands (castironcollector.com/economy.php): comprehensive documentation of National as Wagner’s economy brand, production dates 1890s–1940s.
Cast Iron Collector — Evolution of the Wagner Trademark (castironcollector.com/wagnertm.php): dual-logo National configuration with centered stylized logo.
Cast Iron Collector — Cast Iron Cookware Trademarks & Logos (castironcollector.com/trademarks.php): National/Wagner Ware dual logo dating chart, c. 1924–1945.
Boonie Hicks — Wagner Cast Iron: History, Dates and Logos: National brand examples and dating context.
eBay listing and invoice documentation — Item 226981017544, Order 06-13694-52532.
About Steve’s Seasoned Classics
Steve’s Seasoned Classics is an online museum dedicated to preserving and documenting the heritage of American cast iron, with a focus on Ohio foundry pieces from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The SSC collection features over 130 pieces with detailed provenance, historical research, and photography for each item.
