Cast Iron Treasure Hunting at Brimfield

This is a tiny sample of the endless sights to see...and cast iron pans to buy, for those who want them...at the Brimfield Antique Show. Held three times a year in Brimfield, Massachusetts, this is one of the biggest outdoor antique flea markets in the entire country, and possibly the world. This show lasts for a week, and at its peak it has an attendance of close to fifty thousand visitors. There are over a thousand vendors, selling every possible vintage item you can imagine. And that includes a lot of vintage cast iron. If you're looking for something in cast iron, a visit to Brimfield is definitely worth planning.
Brimfield Antique Show: www.brimfieldshow.com
Some sample photos that barely scratch the surface of the sights to see at Brimfield: pg/CastIronC...
Cast Iron Chaos on Facebook: / castironchaos

[@FilmaticProductions]

Bruh that child's Griswold set is so CUTE!!! I would buy that for my kid in a heartbeat!

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

I've been to Brimfield more than a dozen times and I enjoyed every visit immensely! My first cast iron pan was a gift from my father who found a Wagner at the dump. It was still full of dirt and rust and I had no idea what a gem he gave me until he taught me how to season it and care for it. I'm still using it a quarter century later.

[@alexanderneedham7320]

I loved the flying spaghetti monster reference. I also would have bought that "go away" sign in a heartbeat.

[@GS-st9ns]

When I was growing up in Boston my father took us to Brimfield because he couldn't help himself. He had to have a cast iron skillet. That was the best field trip we ever had. On the way home the car broke down but we were happy. All of my cast iron skillets at Brimfield, but all of my friends when I visit Indiana use Lodge. I love Brimfield and I love my cast iron skillets. OMG a cornbread Skillet I have one. I need to stop watching this great video

[@melodyhart1331]

My favorite was that huge oval roaster with the lid,it was a grand,I could not afford that ,but it was beautiful.

[@hankstuddard23]

Eric, you are truly a treasure to the cast iron community(s) out there. You blazed a trail in the social media world that is truly remarkable. Your Facebook group as of today has 373K members, and I don't know how many admins. I have watched and admired most if not all of your various videos. My personal collection of vintage cast iron is now well over 100 pieces, and I work on cleaning and properly prepping them for storage as I am able (I suffer from cancer). It is a joy to see an old rusty or gunky pot or pan come out of the lye or e-tank looking almost brand new in some cases. Many of these I consider to be works of art as much as for use in the kitchen. You were a big part of my inspiration to embark on the "castironitis" journey, and it has been a lot of fun. Many thanks to everything you have done and continue to do. God bless.

[@edcox6784]

Thank you for showing this wonderful adventure.

[@paladin252]

Growing up near brimfield we take it for granted. Reading many of the posts you learn to appreciate what we have here for antiques.

[@castironchaos]

I've met people who live near Devil's Tower in Wyoming, and they just shrug and say it's a big rock. :)

[@rideswithscissors]

I drooled. 6:53 looks like what they washed cloths in up in Appalachia. You use big dowels placed through the eyes to turn it over, according to my Firefox books. Thank you for showing that stuff, my feet didn't get sore, and I couldn't spend all my money!

[@romanmejorado5495]

Cool video thanks for taking the time.

[@keithbrookshire]

If only Brimfield wasn't so far away. I love flea-market shopping and this looks like the king pin of them all.

[@KENTUCKY-MAMA]

Excellent reason 2 Plan a vacation around the event so U Can enjoy it & not have 2 rush around.

[@JayP-kd5rc]

What a fun trip to Brimfield. Thank you!

[@MrBrymstond]

Down in Florida in St Pete there's a flea market called the Wheel, you need to go Saturday and Sunday 7am $1 for parking. Cast Iron, Avon, Android TV boxes loaded with free TV and movies, Knives of all kinds, Switchblades, Out of the front, Brass knuckles, Gas and Electric Bikes, Food everywhere, Phone repair, Clothes New and Used, Live Music, Instruments and you name it. I love that place.

[@michaelanderson1859]

I haven't been to the Wheel since 1986. Brings back k memories

[@justtruth8281]

I never get tired of looking at cast iron! Thanks for the ride along. Great video!!

[@donniepoole595]

Thank you for taking me a long one a flea market hunt

[@larrywallace3637]

Looks like fun. Thanks for showing some very unusual pieces. Those types of shows are rather stressful. You see pieces you would like to get but are afraid too because you might see something you would rather have. Plus, carrying too much iron for too long gets to be a work out. Great fun though.

[@LoneWolfZ]

collecting cast iron cookware seems about the same to me as collecting vacuum cleaners. It is a battle ready tool that should be used, not thrown on a shelf and looked at.Even more so, if cast iron is being used, there is way less chance of it becoming damaged than if it's just sitting somewhere. Rust kills! I guess that is just me though. The only antiques I have get used. Cars, Aladdin lamps, cookware, coffee grinder, woodworking tools etc. It just feels like as long as the tool is up for the job, keeping it in service is the best way to honor the piece and the people who made it so long ago.

[@geraldsmith5685]

Just finished restoring a pan this evening. It looks pretty much identical to the one at 3:10. My thinking is it an old Lodge #3.

[@ncd3165]

my parents used to go to Brimfield in the 1970's they bought many treasures there they still possess.

[@mickeyt107]

You're the Rick Steves of cast iron!

[@kentuckyjim5108]

Eric, this was fantastic ! Hope you can do more like this in your travels .

[@iamwhoiam4410]

Really enjoy your videos.I grew up on cast iron cooking and we do 90% of all cooking in cast iron. Not collectors, but we have a few cast iron heirlooms passed down to us. We've got about 2 dozen skillets and dutch ovens in our collection. probably about 50% being the newer versions. My wife favors Victoria over Lodge. I enjoyed your flea market trip. We've got a large seasonal one here where we live in the north Georgia mountains. I got to noticing one guy with a huge collection and each piece was priced well over a $100 with most being in the $250- $500 range. I got him to fess up one day about why he was there every weekend selling none. He said he just liked to have a place to show off his collection to the public and he really wasn't interested in selling any pieces. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and recipes of cast iron cooking. My wife has used several of them with success.

[@castironchaos]

Brian, the notification showed your comment but for some reason I couldn’t see it. Haggling is alive and well at Brimfield, and people haggle over everything. That Flying Spaghetti Monster (not) trivet had a $15 sticker. I offered $10 and the guy agreed right away.

[@saltydog8244]

Darn it!! WOW !!! See now you have me hooked. I love everything cast iron. I only have a few pieces that I cook with every day. Would love more. My dream is a wood burning stove like my great grandma used. I was very lucky to know my great grandparents on both sides of my family. Thinking back now, wished I had been older to learn all the ways they made their kitchens special. Thank you.love this post.

[@fluffyotter1601]

You have to admire the dealers who bring in those cast iron stoves for the show! Beautiful

[@Downeastwaves]

Thanks so much for this trip to Brimfield! My Dad used to sell fancy jewelry there with a friend. He's says it really is a great place to shop. Your finds are AWESOME!

[@puttingupwithmike5851]

My 3 best cast iron pans were purchased at Brimfield Antique Show, Brad’s to be exact. Yeah I paid a fair price, but I enjoy everything about them from searing to maintaining the seasoning.

[@castironchaos]

No need to feel guilty about succumbing to temptation. :) Besides, it's no different than paying the price of a modern day Le Creuset, Finex, or brand new All Clad skillet. Also, if folks think those are expensive (and they are), they should check the prices of Mauviel copper cookware.

[@tinadunaway1737]

MY SISTERS AND I HAVE OUR FAMILY CAST IRON , THAT HAVE BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS THEY CAME FROM GERMANY , AND WE USE THEM DAILY , LOVE AND PRAYERS FROM INDIANA

[@KENTUCKY-MAMA]

Gr8 family tradition passing down 2 next generation the cast iron. I had my set of Lodge. When Mama went 2 be with Lord I inherited her Wagner & Lodge. They were a nice compliment 2 mine, size wise. It's also what I give as a house warming gift 2 help start someone else on a collection.

[@dennisbellinger7655]

Outstanding video. It was great to see the massive variety of pieces. Thanks.

[@whatsdougupto]

Thanks for taking us along!! I enjoyed the show

[@Logiconfire]

It is more fun to buy than to look. Garage sales have the best prices.

[@lmckay8881]

Thank you for sharing!

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

Lovely!

[@lasalleman]

Great video.

[@trishfitzpatrick2066]

Very interesting. Just learning this stuff and it's fun to "look around" with you.

[@tyler8076]

I live next to brimfield. The traffic during the "flea market" as us locals call it, is insane! It backs up all the way down rte 20 both east and west. But, you can't beat some of the stuff you'll find there.

[@castironchaos]

That's why I went there at 7 AM to begin shooting this video. :) The final shot with the car dashcam took about 15 minutes to crawl through the center of town.

[@Mnrusty1]

Thanks for taking us to this fantastic antique show. My husband used to buy a few tools from Harbor Freight. He knew they were cheap but never had a tool break on him. Wonder how their cast iron would hold up over time...

[@tomjeffersonwasright2288]

As the old folks who love cast iron die off, and the youngsters buy teflon, I suspect that in the end, one die hard cast iron guy will die on his mountain of antique skillets.

[@castironchaos]

Or it will fall on me and I'll be buried beneath it.

[@youngpl]

Worse ways to go.

[@susangrande8142]

You’re not taking KZbin channels, including this one, and Facebook pages into account: the youngsters are getting turned on to cast iron cookware. Among other things, they’re more ecological than teflon.

[@valentinamkhitaryan9909]

Awesome video! Thank you

[@paulnestor5318]

Really enjoy the videos.

[@captkirk6145]

Chaos looking back at your own videos from only 4 years ago. Do you have anything that you see that you wish you picked up? Because watching this the pricing from just 4 years ago is pretty good compared to now!

[@susansibborn5391]

My idea of Heaven. The stoves are awesome. I can but dream

[@rhughes1795]

I agree but just can't imagine dragging those beautiful HEAVY stoves around to outdoor flea markets! Wow! Seems like such a massive undertaking.

[@rcrobertson9563]

I love this channel. Even tho I have an extensive collection of cast iron cookware I have a lot to learn. Everyone here is cordial and helpful

[@summerwood619]

Thank you for taking me with you

[@harrisonmantooth3647]

My, my. I really envy you. That was an interesting tour of that flea market. Yes, there were lots of interesting items to see but, all that cast iron took my breath away. No, I don't think it would be a good idea for me to go there, I'd wind up mortgaging my house to pay for everything I bought. Thanks again for taking us along with you on this "eye" shopping tour. Stan

[@castironchaos]

Harrison Mantooth There’s a section there with fantastic jewelry, furniture, artwork and even cars that you really could mortgage your home for. 🙂

[@harrisonmantooth3647]

@@castironchaos;I'll bet there is. I doubt I'd be able to cover all of the vendors. I've never seen a Flea Market that big before. I'm surprised I didn't see any small wagons or hand trucks for people to carry their treasures. I would definitely need some type of apparatus to help me back to my vehicle that could be miles away. Interesting journey, thanks again for taking us along with you Stan

[@castironchaos]

Harrison Mantooth There were wagons and carts in abundance. A lot of people brought their own, but many people were renting wagons and carts. And renting their services to push the carts if you wanted.

[@johnlord8337]

Looks like an entire foundry !!!!

[@kensmapleleafretirement]

Nicely done. Thank you for the video. I found a couple of large hanging skillets last week on the side of the road. They are beautiful, but I didn't know what they were until I watched your video. Thank you....

[@castironchaos]

ken Bullock Sounds like it was a good find. What kind of pans were they?

[@MereCashmere]

This was AWESOME! Felt like I was there with you!!!

[@ladylibertystacker2014]

All that cast iron is certainly eye candy for someone like myself! That said it seems it would be hard to find a deal for the rusty stuff that is begging to be restored, but I certainly enjoyed this video!

[@bondscalper]

Please do a video on your top 5 or 10 most used and loved pieces of cast iron. I love your channel

[@2541968joey]

Thanks for a great video of this super event. I have the "US 1942" griddle you also found. Mine has some damage to it, broken handle & side rim broken but I saved it for my collection & only paid $40. Thanks

[@castironchaos]

I've no doubt it performs like a champ. Great deal!

[@briarrose5208]

Unidentified frying objects LOL

[@williamj3459]

Thanks for the video. I was there myself on Thu. & Fri. I found a steal (#5 Wagner for $7). I also couldn't help completing a small logo Gris set (#4, #5, #8) in near perfect condition from your "charge you $5 for filming guy". $100 was more than I wanted to spend, but I couldn't help myself since it meant a completed set for me (3-9) and he did throw in a trivet of my choice. he wasn't the nicest guy to deal with, but castironitis cures all.

[@castironchaos]

For the record, he was joking and he didn't charge $5 to film.

[@markrush5013]

usually cast iron that is all pretty and seasoned is way overpriced..i go for the rusty dirty stuff.its fun and satisfying to bring an old rusty piece back to life.

[@ThirdStreetKitchen]

Thanks! I’m on the West coast and can’t go but loved the tag along.

[@harrisonmantooth3647]

Third Street Kitchen; Same here, from the Central Valley. I wish we had something like this without having to drive very far. Stan

[@cecilyerker]

I fucking love New England

[@pegtooth2006]

Very nice presentation. You should Spruce it up Andre offer it along with any other auction videos by year or something. I like this, it was nice and cool.

[@ronaldwells1805]

Cool video I Like The Griddle at the end nice

[@jonlouis2582]

I agree, there is a lot of over priced stuff, but deals can be had.It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

[@macswanton9622]

Thanks for sharing

[@edgargomez8662]

What madness in all the senses, it seems to me that anyone would have felt like you ... like a child in a candy store, great pieces, beautiful but most expensive, I think you arrive with about 10K, and you leave with only the money to pay parking, easily ... lol .... thanks for sharing such a nice experience very good video, we can only dream

[@castironchaos]

Best of all, you can pay for parking at the beginning and park for the whole day. The local homes around the area of the show make a killing renting parking spaces at between $5 to $10 for the whole day.

[@peabody4217]

wow amazing!!

[@mikefay4438]

Wow. I'm going. I'm from Bellingham,ma. Great vidio

[@turdferguson5300]

The hunt isn't complete unless the piece has the right price on it. Anybody can own vintage cast iron if they are willing to pay outrageous prices. Just go to eBay and fill your cabinets. Knowing when to walkaway is part of the experience for me. I don't come home with cast iron that makes me feel like a dumb butt, I have a wife that can do that.

[@william38022]

Pretty cool 😎

[@susanv2168]

Thank you for your informative video. My husband and I are kicking ourselves now because we left a 1900’s cast iron pan with an unusual (strange looking) lid at the flea market today that he wanted $30 for😏

[@castironchaos]

It happens. There are always more fish in the sea.

[@zunedog31]

Awesome video. I'm trying to imagine what some of those places would charge after putting just a few minutes into those rusty ones and making them look 10x better.

[@kennethwood713]

$1.50 an inch

[@adityabiyani387]

wow u r the best !!!

[@r.taylor7293]

Great video... Can you do us a favor next time and post what would be a good price on the way over priced items.. Thanks for the trip

[@rhughes1795]

Market value R. Taylor, market value. All subjective. You pretty much have to educate yourself.

[@ronmartin3755]

Brimfield is not the largest Outdoor Flea Market in the US nor the World. Canton Texas is. Canton has 28 square miles of Flea market with most outdoors and a couple of Antique Malls in the middle of it. It takes several days to walk even half of this place! I would imagine there are about 30,000 dealers and people selling stuff on the First Monday Weekend when the Weather is good.

[@castironchaos]

That's why it says "one of the largest." :)

[@fredmichaels418]

One caution would be to take a packet of lead test swabs along as some cast iron might have been utilized for melting lead before people knew of the hazards associated with doing so . I personally, will not try to resuscitate a" lead melter " and look someone in the eye and deem it fit for human food preparation.

[@johnlord8337]

You better be living on the ground floor with all that cast iron ...

[@KornBredRacing]

It's all fun and games until Sister hits you over the head with her cast iron toy skillet.

[@rustyshaklferd1897]

How do the vintage grizwald or similar actually compare to modern day premium cast iron? Say butter pat or stargazer?

[@castironchaos]

This may help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHe9d56wr5mGjpI

[@ptinio2]

Wow!!!

[@mkpleco]

Thanks. It's next week and she wants to go. Thanks.

[@mobilemechmantim773]

I'll bet the prices come down at least a little the last day. No one wants to haul all that cast iron back home. I know I wouldn't!

[@cynthiagaudino9272]

Ty

[@lost94133]

I dug up an old griswold skillet on a job one day God knows how long it had been there an old house from the 20s was on the lot we tore it down and built a new one the old house hadn't been lived in since the late 50s I was told In good shape and drove off and left the damn thing I was sick went back the next day and it was gone

[@CongTrancongqcb]

how to identify a-grade vs b-grade staub?

[@ritaroach3491]

We have a skillet with what looks like 'FAVO' on the bottom. It needs cleaning to read the rest. Does anyone know what it is or could be?

[@castironchaos]

That's almost certainly a Favorite Stove skillet. :)

[@MeepMeep88]

Wish they had something like this but instead of cast iron pans, it'd be cast iron weight plates :)

[@castironkev]

I gotta get a spot there next year, i'd sell out at my prices compared to most of these holy crap lol

[@castironchaos]

You probably would!

[@burtwwong]

Do you also look for bargains of new cast iron? I saw this on Amazon - have you heard about this brand and what is your opinion? GreaterGoods Cast Iron Skillet 10 Inch

[@larrypesek8818]

This is not a good video for those of us who are inflicted with Castironitis...

[@SuperPussyFinger]

I caught the Dawkins reference. Well played.

[@melodyhart1331]

I am not a colector,but some of my peices came from the thrift stores .

[@MrSlowMOpro]

Who was the guy before brads pans? anybody know if he has a shop? Who was the guy before brads pans? 7:23

[@scottschaefer2086]

Oh my lord the roaster was absolutely incredible. I wonder what the seller paid for it

[@briarrose5208]

It's gorgeous but who could lift it with a turkey in it!

[@crzynrs100]

Have you ever seen cast iron that was fairly thin and the handle is folded over to the back instead of solid? There are no numbers or marks that I can find, but the bottom has been corroded at some point and the pan is not flat but warped slightly with the middle bottom being the lowest point. I also have a 6 &1/2 stamped Korea. Thank you for reading

[@castironchaos]

Those are folded steel skillets, which are often extremely light and thin -- especially when compared to heavy cast iron. Antique dealers like to call these things "cowboy skillets." Unlike cast iron they're often dented and bent, but that won't prevent them from being good cookers in themselves.

[@crzynrs100]

Cast Iron Chaos thank you 😊 about how old do you think?

[@castironchaos]

Roni Nitcher I gather they faded out during the early 20th century, when more and more families had stoves and kitchens for cooking rather than fireplaces.

[@crzynrs100]

Cast Iron Chaos awesome, thank you!

[@davidburgoyne7489]

I have 2 skillets i have used everyday for 40 yrs or so, my main cookware, inside or out

[@nuvigroovi]

What sizes?

[@Sal.sanchez]

6:04 Isn’t that made after lodge purchased them? The ones with the center filled in are later models The cornbread skillet

[@castironchaos]

The BS&R cornbread skillet, without a hole in the center, was the one originally designed by BS&R. Lodge introduced their own version with a hole in the center, and have continued to produce that one. If it has a hole in the center, it's Lodge; if it has does not have a hole in the center, it's usually BS&R. (Wagner made a few of these, also. They also did not have a hole in the center, but they were also marked in the same style as Wagner Ware pans.)

[@firefalcon100]

Holy crap, my dad(family) has one of those mini stoves shown at 5:50 mark. though, without the extra stuff on top. wonder how much it's worth

[@ManLand]

No money means a sight seeing adventure for me too...That fella at 9:05 sure does get agitated from filming don't he>>>$5 to video? Guess he didn't know that he was being filmed by a very famous You Tuber....should have paid you for the opportunity...lol. I thoroughly enjoyed this video...

[@jadedmastermind]

I'd want one of those big dutch ovens.

[@thomascamacho1209]

Ur awesome

[@bigdan638]

Thanks for your videos and knowledge about cast iron. I'm sure your super busy and understand if you dont have the time but I found a very large pan a number 16 pan. I need help Identifying it has a 16 on the handle with heat ring no gate mark. Only thing in could find on it: The skillet that you own is a keeper, regardless of its condition-- that is if you are a buff of American history. It was produced for the Union army during the American Civil War era. The manufacturer, who purposely did not identify itself on the skillet, did so to avoid geographical allegiance to the north. In doing so, the company also was able and successful in supplying the CSA army with some of the same unidentified skillets, except for the size nomenclature on the handle. The DOD has no records of the manufacturer's name, but some think it may have been produced in Philadelphia, PA. All we know is it is a civil war era skillet and its size. Whether yours is a Union or CSA skillet cannot be determined, unless of course it came with an authentic hand-signed letter of authentication signed by either Grant or Lee. Otherwise it is simply referred to as a "16 skillet" from the American Civil War era. Would it have a gate mark that old?

[@castironchaos]

Would you be able to provide a photo? There's a monster sized skillet with a 16 on the handle that I've seen myself, and this may be one of those.

[@bigdan638]

Or let me know how I can get you the pics

[@bigdan638]

www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/263117-16-cast-iron-skillet I posted it here and once again thank you!!!

[@castironchaos]

@Danny C That's exactly the pan I thought it was. A few of these have shown up on the Facebook collector's groups and the Cast Iron Cooking group. I saw one myself, and held it in my hands, at the Factory Antique Mall in Staunton, Virginia a year or two ago. That thing is a real monster, and it must weigh 20 to 30 pounds by itself. It's one of those "unknown" cast iron pans that no one knows the history of. You posted a description saying it was made for Civil War soldiers by a company that kept its identity secret, but that seems like a tall tale -- unfortunately. It's a good story, but unless it can be backed up with evidence then it's a tall tale. I've also heard a guess that those monster pans were made by prison labor in the American South; but again, that's only a guess, because no one really knows. Especially since it doesn't have a gate mark, I'd think it was made around the early 20th century. Gate marks were removed from cast iron pans during that time when foundries developed processes for casting the pans on their sides rather than lying flat, so the gate mark was (and still is) on the edge of the pan rather than along the bottom. Besides, it seems unlikely any company in those days would have taken the time to grind the gate mark off of a huge monster like that, as it would have been a big and unnecessary expense.

[@castironchaos]

But if you did pay $20 for that beast, you got yourself an incredible bargain. At the antique mall it had a price tag of about $200.

[@sandrajohansson1516]

crasy prices for cast iron

[@Layput]

So it is better to buy off Amazon?

[@castironchaos]

Well, you won't be likely to find a lot of vintage cast iron on Amazon.

[@garrywhere7511]

Can anyone tell me what a lard render kettle is worth?

[@rhughes1795]

A lard render is worth some hard tender.