Hi K

Thanks for getting in touch, and I completely understand you want to look after your grandmothers skillet.

You’re right in being a little concerned about the self cleaning method for such a treasured heirloom. And many professional restorers advise not to do this method as the extreme heat may warp the pan. It’s not unusual to see a skillet of this age with a lot of build up, and or sulphur pitting on the base.

The safest methods of restoration are put the skillet in either a lye or electrolysis tank. As I live in a small apartment in Japan that’s beyond my level of skill. And if you’re in the same boat you might want to consider someone that specializes in cast iron restoration to take care of your skillet. These people often restore ironware in their free time or as a side gig. Type in your city name and cast iron restoration on google to potentially find someone in your area. It’s going to cost more than doing it yourself but in this case it could be worth it.

There’s a guy on Facebook that lives in Illinois that you might want to contact if you’re willing to ship your skillet. He goes under the name Black Iron Medic, And you can see his work too.

Thanks for your contact, hope this helps.

Hi Robert

Thanks for getting in touch, and it’s great to hear from another collector.

Unfortunately, I haven’t come across a number 0 Piqua Ware. Size 1 is the smallest Piqua Ware skillet I have seen. Any mention of a size 0 skillet and I automatically think it’s an ashtray.

For a size comparison with your skillet and a size 1, I believe the number one is approximately 4.5 inches from spout to spout.

I hope this helps in the discussion within your cast-iron groups.

Cheers.

Hi Robert,
Seem as though there totally IS!! I own one!! Stylized Font. I know it is legit, too, because I only found out it was a Favorite pan after all the years of antique crud started to come off on their own. Hooray for us, eh?? ENJOY!!! 🙂

Hi Kyle

Sounds like you have a great little skillet.

There are collectors that specialize in these antique pieces. But I believe you have a toy skillet, as you can imagine for children to play house. But the skillet could also be a salesman sample, to show potential customers the company’s product without carrying around the weight of a regular sized skillet.

Very cool, you have a neat old piece of cast-iron history.

Hope this helps

Hi there Ray

Thanks for getting in touch. You’re right, Favorite Stove and Range sure knew how to make a fine skillet. I have to agree my smiley logo pans are just as smooth as my Griswold skillets. And they are sure fun to use.

Thanks for getting in touch, and I’m pleased you’re getting a lot of use out your old Piqua Ware.

Happy cooking.

Hi Jim

Great to hear you’ve picked up an old griddle.

Unfortunately, there is little information on when The Favorite Stove and Range Company introduced the different logos. But I believe the Favorite Piqua Ware logo is one of the oldest. And I suspect the Miami logo was introduced after the ever popular smiley logo.

Jim go ahead and use your griddle with the handle facing up. The pronounced lip on the side walls, I guess was a way to lift the griddle from direct heat. And to allow the surface to heat evenly.

Great purchase, have fun

Hi Nicole

Thanks for sending in a question.

Favorite Stove and Range also had an enamel line of cast-iron cookware. The blue porcelain enamel seems the most common but I’ve seen a few other colors. Because of the age it’s not uncommon to see a few chips or cracks on the base. However, I only seen a couple of enameled pieces and never a Scotch bowl.

A nice scarce piece, well done.

Hi Barry

Thanks for getting in touch.

It sounds like you’ve found yourself a bargain. If the porcelain enameled base has a few cracks, I wouldn’t worry, I’m sure it’s had a few dings over the years. There isn’t too many enameled pieces around, so well done on your purchase.

The enameled pieces are considered to fall within the 1916-1935 timeline. And the Dutch Ovens came with a matching lid. But, the pattern number on your lid is consistent with an original Favorite Stove and Range lid.

Cheers, hope this helps and enjoy your purchase.

Hi Tonya and Vincent

Well done on your purchase. I think Favorite Piqua Ware is equal to Wagner and Griswold. The cooking surface is super smooth.

Your Skillet is very interesting, especially the outlined number 7 on a smiley logo pan. Today foundries use laser cut aluminum templates to press into sand molds to form the size and shape of cast-iron cookware. However, Favourite Stove and Range didn’t have such technology. And, like other manufacturers, they repurposed older useable templates. They tried to cover up the old logo the best they could and simply add the newer logo.

The lighter logo is called a ghost mark. And they a quite desirable for collectors and enthusiasts. As you know, it adds interest to the pan.

You can visit eBay sold listings to get an idea of the value of your pan.
However, as for a date of manufacture, I think it was made circa 1916-1935.

Enjoy cooking with your vintage ironware.

Hi John

It sounds like you’ve picked up a great vintage piece. I think you’re spot-on with the dates for the smiley logo.

Yes, Favorite Stove & Range manufactured lids for its Dutch Ovens. It’s going to be hard to track down a lid, but if you search on eBay, I’m sure one will come up eventually.

For an original lid you will want to keep an eye out for a high domed lid, not flat like the earlier pieces. There will be no markings on top of the lid. But underneath, the lid will have three rows, of separated basting rings. It will also have a size number.

But if you find one, please confirm with the seller before purchasing. Just to make sure, it will fit. Because, I’d say other manufacturers used similar designs during this time.

Best of luck, and have fun tracking down a lid.

Hi Adam

I believe you have a Dutch oven made by the Chicago Hardware & Foundry. The company had a long history but unfortunately, very little is known about their cookware line and the date they were produced. We do know they bought the patents and machinery from Favorite Stove and Range in 1934. Undoubtedly the company then ramped up production after the purchase. So it’s likely your Dutch oven was made between 1934-1938.

Hope this points you in the right direction.

Hi Garry

Thanks for getting in touch. It sounds like you’re fairly confident it’s a Favorite Stove and Range lid. And the 8 1/2 followed by a pattern letter is a good indication.

Just to make sure. There should be three separated raised basting rings on the underside of the lid. I don’t have lids in my collection, However, keep an eye out for a chicken fryer with smiley. I’m pretty sure it will have the corresponding marking of 8 1/2 on the base. But please confirm sizing with the seller first.

It could take a while but best of luck with your search.

Cheers

Hi Tracy

Wow, sounds like you have an unusual skillet, I’d love to see a picture. If you could send a picture through I’d be really thankful.

There’s a lot of unknowns about the Favorite Stove & Range Company. And the company remains a mystery for many collectors. The company might have manufactured skillets without “Piqua” In which case it could be an older piece and potentially made before their Piqua foundry was operational. But also check out the Chicago Hardware Foundry on google images. The company bought the rights to Favorite Stove and Range when they got into financial difficulty and the logos look very similar. It would be good to compare the logo on your skillet with vintage Chicago Hardware ironware.

This might leave you with more questions than answers but this is what makes collecting fun.

Enjoy your skillet

Hi Tammy

Thanks for your question

It sounds like you’re familiar with cast iron from the terminology used in your description. And I think you’re on the right track. The broken basting rings are telltale sign of Favorite Stove and Range Company’s design.

However, collectors are unsure if Favorite manufactured cookware with the diamond logo or if it was Chicago Hardware Foundry after they purchased the assets of the Favorite Stove and Range.

By and large people lean towards Chicago Hardware Foundry as the manufacturer of the diamond logo. And if so your chicken fryer was probably made from the middle to late 1930s.

Cheers, hope this helps and enjoy your piece of cast iron history.

Hi Julia

Wow, I think your friends Mother secretly knew she had a rare piece. And you are so lucky to be the proud new owner. I hope it still has the trivet which often goes missing over time.

How rare is it? Well, you won’t find it in the reference books. And if it’s in as good of condition as you say it is, it would raise a fair bit of interest from collectors. You won’t be able to retire if you sold it. It’s a Dutch oven at the end of the day. But it would be worth a few shiny pennies online and you could probably buy yourself a fancy new Le Creuset oven from the proceeds if you wanted to.

Hope this helps and you might want to have tea and scones with your friends mum.

Cheers, enjoy your vintage roaster.

Hi Mark

Thanks for your question.

Sounds like your Dutch Oven is an old-timer. I believe Favorite Stove and Range made Dutch Ovens in four sizes and number 10 being the largest. From your description I’d say the lid on the oven is flat rather than domed which is often seen on the smiley logo ovens. Which probably indicates your oven was made in the early part of the company’s history.

Hope this helps

Hi Ben

Thanks for getting in contact and I really appreciate your kind words.

I’m sure your mum is very happy that you want to restore her old skillet. It sounds like your family heirloom may benefit from removing the years of build up and applying a fresh layer of seasoning. The two preferred methods for removing carbon build up by enthusiasts are: setting up an electrolysis or lye tank.

However, for one skillet there are two common methods. One uses oven cleaner with the active ingredient being lye and the other is setting your oven on self cleaning mode. There are some very good YouTube videos on both methods. I prefer the second method, if that’s an option. But make sure it’s a nice fine day so you can open all the windows. Also try to get as much gunk off as you can to reduce smoke.

If you’re using the oven cleaning method there are some precautions to take such as using vinegar and water to neutralize the caustic soda so please watch the videos to the end.

It’s brilliant another generation is interesting in protecting these old treasures.

Once again thanks for your question and good luck with your restoration project.

Hi Ron

Thanks for sharing your lucky find.

Finding an old Piqua Ware was one lucky day. I’m guessing you had a big smile when you found that little beauty.
I really appreciate your feed back on the article, you’ve made my day.

Hi, Kevin thanks for the message.

There could be several reasons for this but if I was to guess without seeing your cast iron. I’d say your cookware is or was one plated with chrome or nickel. Favorite Stove and Range did plate some of their cast iron. Because of the age of these pans, plating is often worn off. However, there is a noticeable color difference between plated and bare cast iron. Sometimes plated cast iron appears bronze or copper.

Both chromium and nickel are used in modern stainless steel cookware today which helps rust prevention and to make the cookware nonreactive to acidic foods.

Hi Robin,

The Favorite Stove and Range Company were pretty big players. They manufactured a wide range of cast iron hollowware including Dutch ovens. I guess your oven has a smiley logo on it.

Piqua Ware Dutch ovens are around but you’re more likely to come across Griswold and Wanger ovens. I often see number #8 and #9 for sale and occasionally they are sold with a trivet. The company also made enameled versions.

I’ve seen two different versions of the cover. One domed while the other looks similar to the dome but flatter and grooved. The latter design is more scarce. However, both styles of lids I know of are rounded.

If this doesn’t sound like your oven, you’re welcome to in send a picture and I’ll have a look over it.

Cheers for the message Robin

Hi Robin

Feel free to send over a picture or two. If you’re on mobile just, type contact in the search bar. It should bring up the contact page.

Hi there Robin

Thanks for getting in contact.

I’d have a look on eBay to see the current asking prices. The sold listings on eBay is a good way to find out what people willing to pay. You can also compare the condition of your Dutch oven with other Piqua Ware Dutch ovens and to see if it has the correct lid.

Just keep in mind online asking prices are often higher than other selling methods. I’d say you’re looking at Circa 1916-1935.

Hope this helps with your decision