Sheboygan, Wisconsin · 1874–1960s (cast iron)

Vollrath Company

Jacob J. Vollrath began making porcelain-enameled cast iron in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1874; the business became the Jacob J. Vollrath Manufacturing Co. in 1884 and the Vollrath Company in 1912. Enameled ware was its core product and was discontinued in the 1950s, and collectors date the end of its cast iron production to the 1960s; the company continues today making stainless steel and foodservice equipment. Alongside enamelware, Vollrath made a line of plain cast iron skillets and other cookware. Fully marked pieces read VOLLRATH WARE with a size number and are generally dated up to about the 1940s; later pans were often unmarked and are recognised by Vollrath's distinctive handle. Vollrath iron is listed far less often than Griswold or Wagner, and collectors describe its castings as comparatively light, so flatness is the key check on any Vollrath pan.