Griswold · Wagner Ware · Early Lodge · Favorite · Vollrath
Buy the old skillet
with your eyes open.
A collector’s buying guide for secondhand cast iron. We pair maker identification marks and common-defect checks with how to search, what a fair price is, and how to make sure it survives the shipping box.
- 36
- piece references
- 5
- American makers
- 1865
- earliest foundry
- 115
- eBay buying picks
The shortlist
Most-collected pieces
The references first-time buyers reach for — a broad cross-section across makers, sizes, and the highest-value types.
GriswoldSkillet
Griswold No. 8 Large-Logo Skillet (704)
c. 1920–1940
typical $90–$220typical used range
GriswoldSkillet
Griswold No. 8 Small-Logo Skillet (704)
c. 1939–1957
typical $50–$130typical used range
Wagner WareSkillet
Wagner Ware No. 9 Sidney Skillet (1059)
c. 1922–1959
typical $70–$150typical used range
Lodge (Vintage)Skillet
Lodge No. 8 Three-Notch Skillet
c. 1940s–1980s
typical $30–$80typical used range
GriswoldDutch Oven
Griswold No. 8 Tite-Top Dutch Oven (833 / 1278)
c. 1920–1957
typical $110–$260typical used range
GriswoldCornbread Pan
Griswold No. 262 Tea-Size Corn Stick Pan (625)
c. 1930s–1950s
typical $30–$75typical used range
Deal finder
Search eBay like a collector
Don’t search “cast iron pan.” Search the maker + size + pattern number + logo variant — that’s how you surface the underpriced listings other buyers scroll past.
good → Griswold 8 large logo 704
weak → old cast iron skillet
Tap to build your query
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Before you bid
How to search & where to look
1
Where to look
eBay has the volume and buyer protection. Etsy runs a 20–30% premium with weaker recourse. Flea markets and estate sales are the best per-dollar value — if you already know what you're holding.
2
Search the specifics
Combine maker + size + pattern number + logo variant. "Griswold 8 large logo 704" surfaces the mispriced listings that a generic "cast iron skillet" search buries.
3
Spot the red flags
No underside photo, a "100-year-old" piece that looks factory-clean, "Griswold-style," or hidden handles in every shot. Make the seller show the stamp and a flat-surface seat before you bid.
The heavy part
Shipping secondhand iron
A skillet is dense, brittle on impact, and rusts if it ships damp. A great piece can arrive chipped or orange. Settle these before you pay.
Rule of thumb
A boxed #10 skillet runs ~7–9 lb shipped — budget $14–22 ground, and ask to bundle multiple pieces into one box to split it.
01
Demand the underside photo
The maker stamp, size, and pattern number live on the bottom. No clear shot of the underside? Don't bid — that's where cracks, warps, and the real identity hide.
02
Ask how it's packed
Good sellers wrap the piece dry in paper and double-box it. A loose skillet in a thin box arrives with chipped rims. Cast iron wrapped damp shows up orange with surface rust.
03
Know the weight math
Iron is dense — shipping is a real line item. A #8 skillet boxed is ~6 lb; a dutch oven 10+. Bundling several pieces into one box is the cheapest way to buy a small collection.
04
Inspect on arrival
Photograph the piece the moment it's unboxed. eBay's protection covers "not as described" — an undisclosed crack or warp — but only if you open a case quickly with evidence.
Long-form
Buying guides
01→02→03→04→05→
How to identify a real Griswold vs reproduction
Erie-made Griswold sells for several times what lookalikes, later Sidney-made pieces and recasts bring. Four checks — the mark, the pattern number, the casting and the size — separate the real thing before you bid.
5 min read
Wagner Ware sizing & dating — the complete reference
How to date Wagner cast iron from its marks — plain WAGNER, Wagner Ware, the 1922 stylized logo and its heat-ring and smooth-bottom phases — plus how Wagner sizes compare with Griswold and which catalog numbers to know.
5 min read
Common cast iron defects — deal-killer vs $5 fix
Rust, crud and worn seasoning come off. Cracks, warps, deep pitting and fire damage don't. How to read listing photos and decide what a defect is worth before you bid.
5 min read
Cast iron restoration — from flea-market crust to ready-to-cook
Most rusty, crusted vintage iron can be stripped and re-seasoned over a weekend with basic materials. The methods, the safety rules, and the mistakes that damage a pan or its value.
5 min read
eBay seller red flags for vintage cast iron
Most sellers of vintage cast iron are honest but not experts. Seven listing patterns that mean you should ask harder questions — or walk away — before you bid.
5 min read
Browse by maker
Collector questions
Frequently asked
The 1939 logo change is the single biggest dating signal. Pre-1939 Griswolds carry a LARGE cross-and-circle Erie PA stamp — thick letter strokes, ~30% larger overall diameter than the post-1939 mark. Post-1939 carry the SMALL-logo variant — thinner strokes, smaller stamp. A pre-1939 large-logo #8 trades 2–3× the post-1939 small-logo equivalent. Always demand a clear photo of the underside before bidding at large-logo prices.