Manfuacturers' History

Excelsior Manufacturing Co.

Excelsior Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri, manufactured G.F. Filley pieces. They were originally known by the Excelsior Stove Works and were the makers of the famous Charter Oak Cooking Stoves. Their hollow ware was marked G. F. Filley after the president and founder Giles F. Filley.

In 1849, Giles Filley established a company to manufacture stoves and stove accessories and products. It appears that cast iron cookware was most likely made soon after the company was established in 1849. Giles Filley also invented and introduced the Charter Oak Cooking Stove while in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Excelsior Stove Works was incorporated in 1865 as The Excelsior Manufacturing Company. In 1895, it was reorganized under the name of the Charter Oak Stove & Range Company. Charter Oak stoves were manufactured until 1949.

The Excelsior Manufacturing Company produced an extensive line of cookware. This included pots, kettles, spiders and griddles.

St. Louis Hollowware was also made by Excelsior; it was apparently larger and unfinished. A large amount of Excelsior skillets were marked only "G.F.F."

Excelsior also produced toy size teakettles marked G.F. Filley. There are also toy size skillets, pots, and griddles that are of similar design, and some believe to be Filley, but these are not marked. They do fit into the openings of the Excelsior/Filley toy stoves.