The Meaning Of 716 C On Cast Iron Pans

The number 716 C on a cast iron pan is a combination of a size number and a pattern letter. The size number is usually found on the top of the handle or the bottom of the pan, and the pattern letter is unique to each working pattern. The size number indicates the size of the pan, and the pattern letter helps identify which pattern was used to make the pan. In this case, the size number is 716, and the pattern letter is C. This marking system was used by several cast iron manufacturers, including Griswold and Wagner, to ensure that all parties involved in the production and sale of the pans knew exactly what they were buying and selling.

The number indicates the size of the pan

The number on your cast iron pan, in this case, 716, indicates the size of the pan. This number is known as the size number or skillet size number.

These size numbers are common among nearly all vintage cast iron pieces, whether skillets, Dutch ovens, waffle irons, or griddles. The size number is typically found either on the top of the handle or on the bottom of the pan.

It is often incorrectly assumed that this large numeral indicates the diameter of the pan in inches. However, measuring the rim of the pan will reveal that the number does not directly correlate to this dimension.

With the advent of wood-burning stoves, pans were produced to fit the openings at the top of the stove, known as "stove eyes". These stove eyes functioned like burners on modern stoves. The size numbers on cast iron pans were originally designed to conform to the sizes of these stove eyes.

Even after the widespread adoption of gas-fired ranges and electric stoves, cast iron cookware continued to be manufactured in the sizes established for wood-burning stoves.

Different manufacturers had varying dimensions for their pans, so the size number on a cast iron pan does not correspond to a standard size across all brands. For example, a #3 skillet from Wagner Manufacturing Co. has a bottom diameter of 5-1/2", while a #3 skillet from Griswold Mfg. Co. is slightly smaller.

Therefore, the size number 716 on your cast iron pan indicates that it is a size #7 pan, with specific dimensions that may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer.

The number does not correlate to the diameter of the pan

The number 716 C on a cast iron pan does not refer to the diameter of the pan. The large number on the handle or bottom of a cast iron pan is not an indication of its diameter in inches. This is a common misconception.

The number on the handle or bottom of a cast iron pan is a size number. These size numbers were introduced with the advent of wood-burning stoves. Pans were produced to fit the openings at the top of these stoves, known as "stove eyes". Each stove eye was covered with a heavy piece when not in use, and these covers were removed with a special, heat-resistant lifter handle when the eye was required.

Heat rings, or rims protruding from the bottom circumference of the pan, served as a "seal" between the pan and the stove eye, and provided added stability for pans with imperfectly flat bottoms. They also helped to reduce hot spots.

Different brands of stoves had differently sized stove eyes, so pans were produced in a range of sizes to fit these openings. Even after the introduction of gas-fired ranges and electric stoves, cast iron pans continued to be manufactured in the same sizes.

A 1924 Wagner Manufacturing Co. catalog lists the following diameters for their cast iron skillets:

• #2 - 4-7/8"
• #3 - 5-1/2"
• #4 - 5-7/8"
• #5 - 6-3/4"
• #6 - 7-1/2"
• #7 - 8-1/4"
• #8 - 8-7/8"
• #9 - 9-3/4"
• #10 - 10-1/4"
• #11 - 10-7/8"
• #12 - 11-3/4"
• #13 - 12"
• #14 - 13"

However, these dimensions were not standard across all manufacturers. A 1918 Griswold Mfg. Co. catalog, for example, lists smaller #3 and #4 skillets and larger #13 and #14 skillets.

The size number on a cast iron pan is not an indication of its diameter, but rather a designation of the size of the pan in relation to the stove eye it was designed to fit.

The number refers to the size of the stove eye

The number 716 C on a cast iron pan refers to the size of the stove eye that the pan is designed to fit.

With the advent of wood-burning stoves, pans were manufactured to fit the openings at the top of the stove, known as "stove eyes" or burners. A stove eye is covered with a heavy lid when not in use, and the lid is removed with a special, heat-resistant handle when maximum heat is required.

The number 716 C indicates that the pan is designed to fit a stove eye with a specific diameter. The letters after the number are known as pattern letters, which indicate the particular pattern that was used to mould the pan in the foundry.

The pattern letter helps manufacturers identify which pattern needs to be replaced as they wear out or start creating flawed pans. Less common pieces may only have a few patterns, while popular sizes may have several patterns, each indicated by a different letter.

So, the number 716 C on a cast iron pan refers to both the size of the stove eye it fits and the specific pattern that was used to create the pan.

The letter indicates the pattern of the pan

The letter "C" on a cast iron pan indicates the pattern of the pan. Each model of pan that a foundry produced had to have at least one pattern from which to make its moulds. In the case of popular-sized pans, multiple patterns would be created to allow for quicker and more efficient production.

Over time, patterns would wear or suffer damage, the result of which would end up being cast into the pan. It was important, therefore, to know which pattern was currently in use and creating sub-standard pieces. A unique letter stamped into each working pattern provided the solution.

The letter C on your cast iron pan, therefore, indicates that it was made using the third pattern created for that model of pan.

The letter is not an indication of the order of creation

The letter C in the inscription "716 C" on a cast iron pan is not an indication of the order of creation. In fact, it is a pattern letter. Foundry-produced pans of a particular model had to have at least one pattern from which to create their moulds. For popular-sized pans, multiple patterns were created to speed up production. Over time, these patterns would wear out or become damaged, resulting in flaws in the pans. Hence, a unique letter stamped into each working pattern helped identify which pattern was creating sub-standard pieces.

The letter C in "716 C" does not indicate the chronological order of its creation. It is possible that only a few patterns were required to meet manufacturing demands for this particular pan, so it is unlikely to find letters beyond the first few in the alphabet.

The lack of a letter does not indicate the order of creation or any kind of superiority over other patterns of its type with letters. The creation of a pattern without a letter simply meant that one more pattern could be used for high-demand piece production.

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