By way of a lighter build, super smooth cooking surface and a lot less fuss, Field Company’s cast-iron skillets are some of our favorite for everyday use.
Starting today, one of the companies on the fore of the revival of classic cast-iron cookware — that is super smooth, more artisanal pieces — is paying a more subtle tribute to old names like Griswold and Wagner: a limited release of its No. 10 first castings. A first casting is exactly what it sounds like — the first official version of its staple item. There are only 100 available.
As I wrote in “5 Reasons You Should Buy This $2,800 Cast-Iron Skillet Immediately“, cast-iron skillets can reach extraordinary dollar values by simply being one of a small number and having markings that are identifiable. In the case of a $2,800 Griswold, a great deal of prior knowledge, Googling and zooming in on tiny markings was needed to discern its age, rarity and value.
Field Company’s original skillet features minor differences in wall slopes and thickness, but the only significant difference is stamp, which sports a few flourishes in the form of wheat bushels and a manufacture date.
Field Company is not a storied maker of cast-iron skillets (the brand’s only been in business since 2017) but the release of the first castings of its skillet act as a statement of intent. Basically, Field Company wants you to know it plans to be around for long enough for its first casting — which, uniquely, has its manufacture date included on the stamp — to accrue value because of its own age and rarity.
It’s an interesting and fun move for a company like Field, and makes for a solid gift for the cast-iron nerd in your life. The first castings are available for $200 — that is, until they sell out.
