The Rare 1890s Griswold Skillet You'd Be Over The Moon To Find At The Thrift Store

Borrowing from the medieval Arthurian legend, many rare products today are called holy grails. It's a bit of hyperbole that doesn't quite match but instantly lets everyone know what you mean. The search for modern day holy grails sends seekers to the thrift store in hopes of finding vintage Pyrex pieces or old tools. One of these holy grails that you'd be over the moon to find is a rare No. 8 Erie Griswold skillet. This one has a spider emblem on the bottom and if you can find one in excellent condition, it could be worth thousands (one even sold at auction in 2024 for $10,000).

Whenever you head to the thrift store for old plates or linens for your latest DIY, it might pay to make a quick stop by the housewares aisle while you're there. To find the holy grail of cast iron pans, you need to pick them up and look on the bottom, where the spider emblem can be seen. The spider emblem is in the center of the pan, with ERIE spelled across the body of the spider as well as above it, with the number 8 below. Often worn down from years of use, the spider emblem on an Erie Griswold No. 8 cast iron pan dates it to a short time between 1890 and 1891, which is why it is rare and worth so much. If you find an old cast iron pan like this, you need to know what to look for and how to spot fakes.

The spider trademark on the sought-after No. 8 Griswold was added to honor the legend of a 14th century Scottish king, Robert Bruce. The legend says that he saw a spider continuing to make a web despite it being destroyed over and over, and he took this as a sign not to give up. In an old Griswold catalog, the company states "As the little spider brought success to Robert Bruce, so cooking utensils bearing this trademark brings success to all who use them." Griswold manufactured cookware at their original Erie plant from the late 1800s to 1957, so there are a variety of cast iron pans to keep your eyes peeled for at thrift stores. This lucky spider only appeared on these skillets during a brief window in 1890 and 1891, although the company kept the spider symbol on company letterhead until much later.

Most Griswold logos are recessed, but the spider emblem is embossed, or raised. Well-used skillets have a worn emblem (this is normal) after years of scraping the bottom of the pan against the stove. Unfortunately, reproductions have also been made for decades, so the emblem alone isn't enough to tell. Because the original was used as a mold, fakes are slightly smaller. Also, the lettering is indistinct because of poor casting, and fake skillets often have a heavy feel. Bright orange rust and crude casting marks around the handle are other ways to spot a reproduction.

The chances of finding an antique Erie No. 8 spider skillet worth $10,000 aren't that high, but getting lucking enough to find valuable Griswold cast iron skillets happens more often than you think. Griswold skillets are one of the top cast iron kitchen tools to look for in thrift stores, and there are plenty of other trademarks to keep an eye out for, so it never hurts to turn an old skillet over and look for a mark. If you ever do find one of the spider skillets, how crisp the embossed spider emblem is will help determine its value. Collectors look for cleanliness and a precise emblem, with no visible cracks.

Sometimes, after years of use or neglect, a cast iron piece may need to be restored. Soak an old cast iron pan in a 1:1 white vinegar and water mixture, then gently scrub with a cast iron brush and re-season it. Once you clean up an old cast iron pan and identify it, if it's a Griswold, there are numerous online forums to help you identify it further and determine its value. And always remember that when it comes to antiques that can be considered a holy grail, no price is off the table. This comes to buying and selling, as value is subjective here, and a spider skillet is worth exactly what someone will pay for it, no more and no less.