The author Jon B. Haussler had only five years of cast iron collecting experience when he wrote this book but you would never know that by what he has accomplished. Haussler provides detailed drawings of virtually every variation of Griswold muffin pans ever made. Haussler also provides ways to start collecting muffin pans that won't have you mortgaging your house.
Muffin Pans is 148 pages packed full of information on Griswold pans and the multitude of variations of those pans. Included is a brief history of Griswold muffin pans and some interesting background on collecting. Another interesting chapter that Haussler includes is one about muffin pans made by Griswold for others. The appendix is made up of Griswold pattern numbers.
All right, the book isn't perfect; my criticisms are few but I do have some or I just wouldn't be me. The one major problem I have with this book is the sheer arrogance of the writer a cast iron collector for five years but he declares "It is suggested that the terminology used in this book be considered as the standard among collectors when they refer to the various Griswold muffin pans. This would minimize misunderstandings and provide a clear consistent language to describe Griswold muffin pans since there presently is no standard." Griswold named their pans whatever was popular at the time and probably used different names in different parts of the country in order to sell their products just as a submarine sandwich is called a sub, grinder , torpedo, hoagie, hero and on and on. This arrogance is not Haussler's alone as there are many snobs within the cast iron community who want to be the expert much like wine snobs who tell you about the clarity or floral notes in a wine. Then Haussler invites a major question; why is a #3 Golf Ball looking pan called a Gem Pan and A #9 and a #19 are both called Golf Ball Pans?
Nothing major is wrong with the book itself, it simply isn't more than it purports to be. I wish that other manufacturers were represented, as I constantly pick up the book to check on a Wagner Ware pan and can't find it within the glossy pages. Maybe I'm just too dumb to remember that this wonderful book contains Griswold and Griswold only. Another handy item that should have been added is the height or depth of the pans. I believe that Haussler should have omitted Plett pans, Munk pans and Danish Cake pans as none of them are truly muffin pans as they are generally used on the stove top. Another problem is that aluminum and other finished pans are mentioned very briefly but not priced. Unless Haussler believes that all finishes are priced the same but there is no indication of that or further mention beyond the very end of chapter one. "The Book of "Griswold and Wagner" indicates that the prices are greatly reduced for items that aren't cast iron finished. My last complaint is that the prices are high even though the book was published in 1997. I think human nature is that we all want to believe that what we have is worth more than it probably is. I have done extensive research tracking and cataloging prices on ebay and other sites and I don't necessarily see these prices approached even 13 years after the book was published.
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