Vintage Waffle Irons
Vintage Waffle Irons
Let's face it. In today's hurry-up society we're used to taking all kinds of short-cuts. Sometimes the time and effort saved is worthwhile, but other times we feel a nostalgic little twinge that tells us maybe the older, slower way was better.
Today's kids, and probably their parents, accustomed to the freezer-to-toaster pop-up variety, find real waffles with butter melting in the crevices of crispy, golden circles - whether prepared from a mix or scratch - a fine treat.
And vintage waffle irons have taken their place on the hot list of most-wanted, old-time appliances. Curvy, chromed and highly collectible, a good many of them still work perfectly.
One old story about the origin of waffles tells us that the very first ones were made back in 13th century England. It seems that a crusader, wearing his armor, accidentally sat on a tray of freshly baked oat cakes. The steel links of his armor made a neat, deep imprint on the flattened cakes.
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Perhaps in an effort to destroy the evidence, he spread butter on them and began to eat. His wife happened along, and instead of scolding him, said that she liked the way the newly patterned cakes held butter, and bade him don his armor and sit on cakes at least once a week.
Before long someone thought up an easier way to get the same effect, and a patterned iron form was fabricated and attached to long handles, usually by a blacksmith.
The patterns were sometimes made to imprint elaborate designs on the waffle, like coats of arms or religious symbols. Batter was poured in and the heavy apparatus was held over an open fire.
The little cakes were called waffles which meant "flat, honeycomb-like cakes." Dutch colonists brought their "waffle irons" with them when they came to America in the 1620s.
Women of the world welcomed the advent of cast-iron wood or coal burning stoves, and soon everyone was making waffles with stove-top waffle irons.
Late 19th century cooks favored the fanciful molds made by the Griswold Manufacturing Company of Erie, PA.
Today, a stove-top Griswold iron in a Hearts and Stars pattern might bring upward of $500.
In 1869, American inventor Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, NY patented the first US waffle iron. It was made to sit on top of wood or gas stoves, and consisted of two cast iron plates joined by a hinge which swiveled in a cast iron collar.
It was just about the turn of the century when America "discovered" electricity. In 1911, General Electric produced its first electric waffle iron. By 1918, housewives were clamoring for the more stylish versions produced by Landers, Fray and Clark.
The 1930s brought us round chrome and steel irons with a deco flair. Some had imaginative porcelain Perry-3 inserts or Bakelite handles.
The late 1940s and early 1950s brought cooks the option of square waffles and the reversible grids which converted from waffle iron to sandwich grill.
These days a nice old 1950s chrome Westinghouse waffle iron with black Bakelite handles might fetch $50 at a show. A GE Hotpoint or a Kenmore chrome Wagner Ware waffle iron can sell easily in the $30-$40 range.
Interest is high right now in electric appliances of the 1930s -1960s era. These pieces were designed to last, and lots of them are almost as good as new.
All that heavy chrome cleans up beautifully and the stylized shapes make a desirable "retro" statement in today's kitchen. Look for names like General Electric, Westinghouse, Hotpoint (by GE) and Manning-Bowman and Co.
Of course you'll replace any frayed or questionable wiring if you plan to use your vintage waffle iron for its original purpose. It will be fun to surprise your family some morning soon with old fashioned "real" waffles.
Most waffle irons don't require greasing after first tempering, but if yours hasn't been used for a long time, brush a little vegetable oil over both grids. Heat the iron while mixing the batter.
Most irons have an automatic heat control - a dial or light which tells you when it's ready to bake. If yours doesn't have one, test it by sprinkling on a few drops of water. If the water "skitters" around before evaporating, the iron is just right.
Colorado-based writer/collector Bill George has written a nice collectors book and historical reference containing just about everything there is to know about old waffle irons. The name of the book is Antique Electric Waffle Irons 1900-1960 and costs $28.50. It was published by Trafford Publishing.
It has plenty of pictures and a value guide listing more than 1,100 models of waffle irons and grills.
Source: Carol J. Perry, Farm and Dairy, November 19, 2009
