A Late Winter Flea Market Find

The second weekend of March brought some much appreciated warm, unseasonable weather to South Central Pennsylvania. While Saturday was spent working outside the house (and perhaps a bit of lazing in the sun), the wife and I decided that Sunday morning would be tailor made for attending the local flea market. A few hours spent in search of bargains on cast iron cookware would a great way to enjoy the spring like weather.
The change to daylight savings time was a bother, as neither of us was sure what time we should arrive. During the summer months, the old caveat ‘the early bird gets the worm’ applies, but when we had gone to the market three weeks prior, only a dozen or so vendors were had their wares set up.

We arrived at the market at 9, and were pleasantly surprised to see five rows of vendors set up and doing business. We split up, she taking one side of a row, and I the other. While there were many pieces of cast iron being offered, we saw nothing that really struck our fancy.

While perusing the last row, I spied a seller who always seems to have cast items for sale. His prices are what we consider ‘collector’ prices; that is, book value.

For that reason, we normally pass his stand by with-out much notice. We’re after the bargains, those are selling things they’ve found in Grandma’s kitchen and are not really sure of the worth of the item.

This time though, a nice griddle caught my eye. I have a number 10 Griswold plated griddle that I am thinking of selling. Seeing one on the table, I thought I would check it to see what he as asking, giving me a basis for my own asking price.

I was shocked when I got to the table and saw that what I had thought was plating in the sunlight was actually paint.

“That’s just wrong,” I stated.

“I know,” the seller replied. “It’ll clean up though, if you want.”

Turning it over, I saw that the griddle was an otherwise pristine Griswold Large Block logo griddle, produced between 1919 and 1940. The price tag was market $38.00.
I made an offer, we haggled a bit, and I walked away with a piece of history in my hands.

At home later that afternoon, I removed the majority of the painted picture just to see what the cooking surface looked like. I was very happy to see that it was in great shape. I set it aside until the weather moderates enough that I can set up my cleaning tanks in the unheated shed outside, which will remove the rest of the paint and any grease and food particles on the griddle. Then I’ll season it and hang it on the wall with the other Large Block griddles of other sizes I’ve collected.

All in all, a very productive trip to the market.