Wagner Ware Sidney -O- No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet
SSC MUSEUM COLLECTION
Catalog No. SSC-WGNR-SKL-010
Cast Iron Skillet | No. 10 | Catalog No. 1060A | Smooth Bottom | Sidney, Ohio
c. 1935–1959 • Wagner Manufacturing Company • Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio
Interior cooking surface of the Wagner Ware Sidney -O- No. 10 skillet, showing the full 10-inch cooking floor, scalloped pour spouts on the rim, and the size mark '10' at the handle junction. The deep even seasoning is consistent throughout the cooking surface.
The Wagner Ware Sidney -O- No. 10 is one of the larger everyday sizes in the standard skillet line — substantial enough to serve a family meal or hold a roast, compact enough to have been a genuine household tool rather than a commercial one. This example, catalog number 1060A, was acquired for the Steve’s Seasoned Classics museum collection in November 2025. It is a smooth-bottom piece, placing it in the c. 1935–1959 production window — the later portion of the collector era, after Wagner eliminated the heat ring from the standard No. 10 pattern.
The piece presents in excellent condition with deep even seasoning throughout, a clean flat cooking floor, and all markings fully legible. Two features of the base are worth specific documentation: the smooth bottom that confirms the post-1935 date, and the non-standard rotation of the logo position on the base — a pattern-specific characteristic visible in the photographs that is documented here as part of the collection record.
Pattern letter A designates the first mold pattern cut for the No. 10 in the catalog-number era. The stylized Wagner Ware Sidney -O- logo is present with no MADE IN USA marking, confirming pre-1959 manufacture within the accepted collector era. The piece is structurally sound with no cracks or repairs.
The Smooth Bottom: Dating the Later Collector Era
Base of the No. 10 skillet showing the smooth bottom — no heat ring — confirming c. 1935–1959 manufacture. The stylized Wagner Ware Sidney -O- logo and catalog number 1060A are visible. Note the non-standard rotation of the logo position relative to the handle axis, a pattern-specific characteristic documented here.
The base of this No. 10 is flat and smooth — there is no heat ring. That single feature is one of the most useful dating tools in the Wagner Ware Sidney -O- skillet line. Wagner introduced smooth-bottom construction for the standard skillet line around 1930–1935, transitioning away from the raised ring that had been standard since the wood and coal range era. The heat ring had been designed to fit over a stove eye; as gas and electric ranges with flat cooking surfaces became standard in American homes, the practical reason for the ring disappeared.
For the No. 10, the smooth-bottom transition places this piece in the c. 1935–1959 window. The presence of the stylized Wagner Ware Sidney -O- logo with no MADE IN USA marking narrows the upper end: MADE IN USA was added after 1959 when SIDNEY -O- was removed from the logo. This piece has neither, placing it solidly in the final decades of the Sidney collector era — after the heat ring was retired and before the logo itself changed.
The smooth-bottom No. 10 is the more commonly encountered of the two No. 10 configurations in the market. The heat-ring No. 10, predating the transition, is the earlier piece. Both configurations are represented in the complete SSC Wagner Ware Sidney -O- skillet set; this smooth-bottom example documents the later production era of the No. 10.
Logo Position: A Pattern Characteristic
Bottom profile of the No. 10 confirming the smooth base — no heat ring present. The 2⅛-inch sidewall depth is visible here. The exterior shows the deep consistent seasoning of a well-maintained piece.
The stylized Wagner Ware Sidney -O- logo on this piece does not sit at the standard 12 o’clock position opposite the handle. It appears rotated, sitting at approximately the 2–3 o’clock position on the base, with catalog number 1060A positioned correspondingly opposite rather than at the standard 6 o’clock. This is not a defect, a repair, or an anomaly. It is a pattern characteristic — the result of how the marking pattern was positioned when the sand mold was cut for this particular pattern (designated A for the No. 10).
The Cast Iron Collector’s documentation of Wagner trademark evolution notes that logo position varied across the production history of the line, particularly in the earlier stylized logo period. Pattern-specific rotations in the smooth-bottom era are less commonly discussed but are documented by collectors who observe them on specific catalog number and pattern letter combinations. The rotation on this piece is consistent and precise — logo and catalog number are exactly opposite each other as they should be, simply oriented differently relative to the handle than the standard presentation. It is a detail worth documenting and one that makes this particular example identifiable within its pattern group.
The No. 10 Skillet: A Large Domestic Size
Profile view of the No. 10 showing the 2⅛-inch sidewalls, the broad cooking floor, and the clean overall form of the piece. The scalloped pour spout is visible at the rim. The even dark seasoning extends across the exterior sidewall.
At 11¾ inches across the top rim and 10 inches at the cooking floor, the No. 10 sits at the upper end of the standard household range. It is large enough to roast a chicken, sear a substantial steak, or feed a family from a single pan — but compact enough to sit on a standard domestic stove without the two-burner span required by the No. 12, No. 13, and No. 14. The No. 10 was a genuine household workhorse and was produced in meaningful quantity throughout the Sidney era.
That production volume makes the No. 10 more commonly encountered in the market than the larger sizes, but condition and markings still matter. A smooth-bottom No. 10 with fully legible markings, a clean flat cooking surface, and deep consistent seasoning in the condition this piece presents is a solid representative of the size and era. The No. 10 in the SSC complete set provides the transition point between the large household sizes and the institutional sizes above it.
No assist handle appears on the No. 10 — correct and consistent across the entire production run of this size. The double-loop assist handle is a feature of the No. 13 and No. 14 only.
Handle
Handle detail of the No. 10. The size mark '10' is incised at the handle junction where the handle meets the pan body. The Wagner teardrop hanging loop at the terminus is intact and well-formed. The handle shows the deep consistent seasoning of the piece throughout.
The main handle bears the incised size mark ‘10’ at the junction where the handle meets the pan body, clearly legible in the photographs. The handle terminates in Wagner’s classic teardrop hanging loop — the open-eye form used across the Sidney -O- skillet line through the stylized logo era. The handle is intact with no cracks or losses and shows the consistent deep seasoning present throughout the piece.
Piece Details
Manufacturer
Wagner Manufacturing Company, Sidney, Ohio
Piece Type
Cast Iron Skillet
Form
Standard skillet with main handle, smooth base, scalloped pour spouts. No assist handle — correct for No. 10.
Material
Cast Iron
Markings
Stylized Wagner Ware Sidney -O- logo (looped W) in non-standard rotated position on base; catalog no. 1060A opposite; '10' incised at handle junction
Catalog Number
1060A — pattern letter A designates the first mold pattern cut for the No. 10
Logo Position
Non-standard — logo appears rotated from the typical 12 o'clock position, sitting at approximately 2–3 o'clock on the base. Catalog number 1060A is positioned correspondingly opposite. This variation is a pattern-specific characteristic, not a defect.
Size
No. 10 — Top diameter: 11 3/4 in. | Bottom diameter: 10 in. | Depth: 2 1/8 in.
Heat Ring
None — smooth bottom. Confirms c. 1935–1959 production; smooth-bottom transition for No. 10 occurred approximately 1930–1935.
Made in USA Mark
Absent — confirms pre-1959 collector-era production
Logo Era
Stylized Wagner Ware Sidney -O- — Smooth Bottom, Catalog Number (c. 1935–1959)
Date of Manufacture
c. 1935–1959
Place of Manufacture
Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio
Condition
Excellent — well seasoned throughout; cooking surface clean and flat; no cracks, no repairs; all markings legible; smooth base intact
Acquisition Date
November 12, 2025
Acquisition Source
eBay — Seller: trachic2015
eBay Item Number
157455221317
Order Number
07-13828-21310
SSC Catalog Number
SSC-WGNR-SKL-010
Collection Designation
Wagner Ware Sidney -O- Complete Skillet Set — No. 0 through No. 14
Corporate Timeline: Wagner Manufacturing Company
1891
Wagner Manufacturing Company founded in Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio. Opens with 20 employees; within three months melts 9,200 lbs of iron daily.
1892
Nickel-plated hollow ware introduced.
1894
Wagner becomes one of the first American companies to manufacture cast aluminum cookware.
1897
Wagner acquires Sidney Hollow Ware Company. William H. Wagner joins to run the operation.
1903
Sidney Hollow Ware sold back to original owner Phillip Smith.
c. 1914
'Wagner Ware' branding introduced on hollow ware.
c. 1922
Stylized 'W' logo introduced — the iconic looped letterform shared by 'Wagner' and 'Ware,' positioned above SIDNEY and -O-.
1924
Four-digit catalog numbering system adopted. Regular skillets: 1050 + size number = catalog number. No. 10 = catalog no. 1060. Pattern letter A = first mold pattern for this size.
c. 1930–35
Smooth-bottom construction introduced for sizes 4–12, including the No. 10. This example is a smooth-bottom piece, placing it in the c. 1935–1959 production window.
c. 1930–40
Pie Logo variant — stylized W in wedge-shaped border with 'CAST IRON SKILLET' at 6 o'clock. Approximately ten-year production window; most collectible Wagner logo.
1946–52
Wagner family divests. Company sold to Randall Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.
1957
Randall Wagner division acquires Griswold Manufacturing from McGraw-Edison.
1959
Textron acquires Randall. SIDNEY -O- removed from logo. Last year of collector-era production.
1969
Textron sells Wagner and Griswold lines to General Housewares Corporation (GHC).
1999
Sidney foundry closes permanently after 108 years of production.
2022–23
Wagner Cast Iron relaunches with Wagner family guidance. Former Sidney foundry building demolished June 2023.
Why This Piece Matters
The Wagner Ware Sidney -O- No. 10 matters as the representative of the later smooth-bottom collector era in the SSC complete set. Where the No. 12 center-logo piece documents the opening years of the stylized W in c. 1922–1924, and the heat-ring pieces in the set document the catalog-number era of 1924–1935, this smooth-bottom No. 10 documents the final chapter of the Sidney collector era: the years after the heat ring was retired and before SIDNEY -O- was removed from the logo. Together the pieces in the complete set trace the full arc of Wagner’s collector production.
It matters for the pattern characteristic documented here — the non-standard rotation of the logo position on pattern 1060A. Details like this, recorded at the time of acquisition with photographs and description, are the kind of information that makes a museum collection genuinely useful to researchers and collectors rather than simply decorative. The markings tell the truth, and part of telling the truth is recording what is actually there, including what departs from the standard.
It matters because the No. 10 was a real working pan in real American kitchens for the better part of a century. The deep seasoning on this piece — built up over decades of cooking before it reached the SSC collection — is the accumulated record of those meals. Iron carries its history in its surface. That history is worth preserving and worth documenting.
The iron endures. The markings tell the truth. The story deserves to be told.
Sources & Further Reading
Physical examination of piece: stylized Wagner Ware Sidney -O- logo in non-standard rotated position on base; catalog no. 1060A opposite; size mark '10' at handle junction; smooth base confirmed (no heat ring); no MADE IN USA marking. Five seller photographs examined prior to acquisition.
The Cast Iron Collector (castironcollector.com) — Evolution of the Wagner Trademark; Numbers & Letters; Wagner Manufacturing Co. page. Primary reference for smooth-bottom transition dating (c. 1930–1935), catalog number system, pattern letter explanation, and logo position history.
Wagner Cast Iron (wagnercastiron.com/pages/story) — Official Wagner family history. Foundry founding, innovations, corporate ownership chain, foundry demolition 2023.
Wagner Cast Iron FAQ (wagnercastiron.com/pages/faq) — Catalog number formula: 1050 + size = catalog number for regular skillets.
Panman.com — Cast Iron Size and Capacity Charts (David G. Smith). No. 10 standard dimensions: top diameter 11 3/4 in., bottom 10 in., depth 2 1/8 in.
Cast Iron Collector Forums (castironcollector.com/forum) — Wagner Ware collecting thread; Smooth Bottom 1935–1959 questions thread. Smooth-bottom No. 10 production confirmed for c. 1935–1959 window.
The Book of Griswold & Wagner (Wallaces-Homestead / Krause Publications) — Standard collector reference volume.
eBay acquisition record — Order No. 07-13828-21310, seller: trachic2015, November 12, 2025. Item: Vintage Wagner Ware Sidney -O- 1060A Cast Iron Skillet Pan #10 11-3/4".
SSC Internal Collection Records — Wagner Ware Sidney -O- Complete Skillet Set documentation. SSC-WGNR-SKL-010 is the smooth-bottom representative of the No. 10 size in the full-run No. 0 through No. 14 display set.
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.
