Flat irons were also called sad irons or smoothing irons. Metal handles had to be gripped in a pad or thick rag. Some irons had cool wooden handles and in 1870 a detachable handle was patented in the US. The detachable insulated handle was designed to be always cool for ironing. The handle was detachable, so that several irons could be on the stove at one time and the handle swapped between several bodies. This handle appears to belong to a Mrs Potts' sad iron - Reg. No. 1885. This item is an example of an invention that was universally adopted because it meant that users could keep several irons on the stove at one time and the handle swapped when needed. The original Mrs Potts irons had handles made of wood (walnut) and this enabled the user to us the iron without sustaining burns. The item reminds us of the difficult circumstances experienced in their daily routines by the early families in Orbost A wooden handle which has been painted green. The base is made of cast aluminium and is attached to the handle by two screws ( not original). In the base is a hinged piece for attaching to the iron, held to the base plate by a spring and operated by a wooden knob for quick release. A hook holds the handle to the iron.On the base is an indecipherable number.handle sad-iron flat-iron mrs-potts domestic laundry

From the 17th century, sadirons or sad irons (from an old word meaning solid) began to be used. They were thick slabs of cast iron, delta - shaped and with a handle, heated in a fire. These were also called flat irons. Another solution was to employ a cluster of solid irons that were heated from the single source: as the iron currently in use cools down, it could be quickly replaced by another one that is hot. Source: www.wikipedia.orgLocal social history, domestic itemBlack cast iron with handleon top plate but not decipherabledomestic, iron, work, womens, laundry

Sad irons of the 19th century were so named because of the weight 1.8Kg that was needed to press wrinkled clothes and sheets. They were made of solid metal, including the handle. When the iron was heated, this meant that the handle would also heat up. The user would have to use a thick cloth or a mitt of some sort before they could pick up the iron. Even so, burns and blisters, as well as strained, tired arms, were a normal part of the “ironing day.” Mrs Mary Florence Potts of Ottumwa, Iowa, brought a change to the world of ironing. At the age of 19, in 1870, she invented her first sad iron. It had a hollow metal body that could be filled with a non-conducting material such as plaster of Paris. In 1871, Mary invented the removable wood handle, so that it could be changed from the cool iron to one that was hot and ready to use. A final improvement was the shape: Mary made both ends pointed so its user could iron in either direction. All of these inventions were patented under her name, a rarity for the time. Mary, with the help of her husband, tried unsuccessfully to market her invention on her own. It wasn't until she sold the sales rights to the American Manufacturing Company that sales took off. Advertised as "Mrs Potts' sad iron," it became a sensation. The company manufactured the iron from about 1876 to 1951. Mrs Potts' sad iron became a household word and a standard for future inventors to have to surpass. This didn't happen until 1882 when Henry W. Seely patented the first electric iron. The item is significant not only as a usable domestic tool, but it was, at the time of its creation, a revolutionary labour-saving device. Mrs Potts invention remains associated with a housewife's answer to the domestic drudgery of ironing.Iron,"Mrs Potts" pattern iron. Semi-circular or 'D' shaped wood handle and wood knob.Mrs Pottsflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, iron, clothes iron, flat iron, laundry, sad iron, mrs potts

From the 17th century, sadirons or sad irons (from Middle English "sad", meaning "solid", used in England through the 1800s) began to be used. They were thick slabs of cast iron, triangular and with a handle, heated in a fire or on a stove. These were also called flat irons. A laundry worker would employ a cluster of solid irons that were heated from a single source: As the iron currently in use cooled down, it could be quickly replaced by a hot one. An antique heavy cast iron sad iron (from Middle English 'sad' meaning 'solid') with a rounded cast iron handle. It has a roughened surface with a decorative pattern on the top of the iron. 'Silverston Metals' irons, laundry irons

From the 17th century, sadirons or sad irons (from Middle English "sad", meaning "solid", used in English through the 1800s) began to be used. They were thick slabs of cast iron, triangular and with a handle, heated in a fire or on a stove. These were also called flat irons. A laundry worker would employ a cluster of solid irons that were heated from a single source: As the iron currently in use cooled down, it could be quickly replaced by a hot one. An antique heavy cast iron sad iron (from Middle English 'sad' meaning 'solid') with a rounded cast iron handle. It has a roughened surface with a decorative pattern on the top of the iron. irons, laundry irons

From the 17th century, sadirons or sad irons (from Middle English "sad", meaning "solid", used in England through the 1800s) began to be used. They were thick slabs of cast iron, triangular and with a handle, heated in a fire or on a stove. These were also called flat irons. A laundry worker would employ a cluster of solid irons that were heated from a single source: As the iron currently in use cooled down, it could be quickly replaced by a hot one. An antique heavy cast iron sad iron (from Middle English 'sad' meaning 'solid') with a rounded cast iron handle. It has a roughened surface with a decorative pattern on the top of the iron. irons, laundry irons

From the 17th century, sadirons or sad irons (from Middle English "sad", meaning "solid", used in English through the 1800s) began to be used. They were thick slabs of cast iron, triangular and with a handle, heated in a fire or on a stove. These were also called flat irons. A laundry worker would employ a cluster of solid irons that were heated from a single source: As the iron currently in use cooled down, it could be quickly replaced by a hot one. An antique black heavy cast iron sad iron (from Middle English 'sad' meaning 'solid') with a rounded cast iron handle. It has a roughened surface with a decorative pattern on the top of the iron. 'LYNC' is stamped on the cast iron inside a star shape. 'W' is stamped on the left side, 'C' is stamped on the right hand side. irons, laundry irons

Story to be placed here - Available to publicMinature cast iron, Black Solid Wood Stove with miniature utensils. The stove is on legs with left hand extension for pots, right hand extension with holes, removeable hot plates [4 round 1 rectangle] tin chimney with folded join and seperate decorative cover with pot stands x2 , front door opens on hinges with internal gold pan with gold crescent logo. Frying pan, hot plate handle and "swan flat iron on stand. Solid fuel space with tin base. 2 screws and bolts used to assemble stove. 14 removeable parts.crescent, star, scrolls, wood, iron, tin, cast, stove, black, cast iron, star, solid, fuel, chimney, flat iron stand, flat, stand, hot plates, frying, pan, bolt, screws, legs, toy, miniature, crescent, made in taiwan, taiwan, wood box

Purchased from Ken Turner Collection at Christopher Bragg Auctions 25 February 2006Speckled green and white enamel coated cast iron bases x 3 plus a removable handle. Oval shape with points at both ends. Inscribed 'Mrs. Potts' around outside of each base. Nos, 1,2,3, Enamel tap screwed to cast iron and enamel base (No. 3 has turned up front)Mrs Potts Iron No.1 No.2 No.3domestic items, irons

Rusted wheel rims and axel were recovered from scrub near the ‘Eastern Landing’ in 2002. The two large wheel rims are made of flat iron. The axel is a long metal shaft with built up sections at either end. They are possibly from a WWI, horse drawn gun carriage used to carry stores from the jetty to the lightstation. Images show the carriage in use in 1943. The items have second level contributory significance for their historic value and provenance to the lightstation. .1 & .2, Large rusted, circular, metal wheel rims. Made of flat iron. .3, Rusted metal axle. long shaft with built up sections at either end.

Sad-irons or "solid" irons were made by blacksmiths and used to smooth out material by pressing the hot iron over it. A piece of sheet -iron was placed over the kitchen fire and the irons placed on it could be heated whilst remaining clean of ash.. The women used 2 irons - one heating while the other was used. Thick cloth or gloves protected their hands from the hot irons. The handle was removed from the cool iron and re- attached to remove the hot iron from the fire. The cool iron was replaced on the fire or stove to heat again. These irons were cleaned with steel wool to prevent them marking the material. If the iron was too hot the material would scorch. Most homes set aside one day for ironing and some large households had an ironing room with a special stove designed to heat irons. However, most women had to work with a heavy, hot iron close to the fireplace even in summer.The Curtis family were early settlers in Moorabbin Shire c1880 and used sad ironsA small, curved, flat iron, with attached handle, used for cuffs, collars and frillsSILVESTER'S/ PATENT/ SALTERS / No 3 with the pretzel & a arrow going through the centresad iron, kitchen equipment, pioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, sewing, craftwork, clothing, moorabbin, brighton, bentleigh, fireplaces, stoves

Flat Iron(illegible) Patent 5domestic items, irons

Domestic Flat Iron Stand stawell

This iron was used to press clothes prior to the spirit and electrical irons becoming available circa 1930s - 1950s. The main body of the iron was placed on a flat heated surface of a stove (wood, coal or gas fired). It was mainly used by women in their domestic role, ironing the family's clothes and linen. In the Kiewa Valley the supply of coal or gas was not available or too expensive than the locally cut hard wood trees. Ironing was time consuming as the iron had to be heated, used and then reheated to the required level of application. Kiewa Valley farmers' wives used these irons having heated their stoves with local timber from their farms. This iron is made of cast iron. The handle is a hollow cylinder and is 70 mm above the solid 30 mm base. Presumably the handle was wrapped and/or threaded with cloth to protect the hand from the heat of the iron. The iron would have been heated on the top of a stove.6 Metters KFB Victoriairon, laundry, domestic, antique, pressing clothes, household

Cast iron flat iron, with handle.Markings on top of iron - the number 6, Silversters patent and Salter and scroll work.irons, flat irons

Used at Camp 13, Italian compound, Murchison. Recovered from there in 1989. Iron would have been heated before use on a wood fired stove top/hot plateBlack flat iron with shaped handleiron, camp 13, murchison, tatura, domestic, items, irons

Domestic Flat Iron coated in Copperstawell

metal flat iron on ornate stand.domestic items, irons

Usually heated over a stove, used for ironing shirt collars and similar garments, this flatiron has a curved or rounded base.Small black flat iron, rounded baseSilvester patent [No.] 1flatirons, laundry irons

Sad-irons or "solid" irons were made by blacksmiths and used to smooth out material by pressing the hot iron over it. A piece of sheet -iron was placed over the kitchen fire and the irons placed on it could be heated whilst remaining clean of ash.. The women used 2 irons - one heating while the other was used. Thick cloth or gloves protected their hands from the hot irons. The handle was removed from the cool iron and re- attached to remove the hot iron from the fire. The cool iron was replaced on the fire or stove to heat again. These irons were cleaned with steel wool to prevent them marking the material. If the iron was too hot the material would scorch. Most homes set aside one day for ironing and some large households had an ironing room with a special stove designed to heat irons. However, most women had to work with a heavy, hot iron close to the fireplace even in summer. Late in the 19thC designers experimented with heat retaining fillings for these irons. William Coleman began selling Kerosene lanterns in 1900 in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, USA. He moved to Wichita, Kansas in 1902 and the company became world wide. The company also produced a range of cooking stoves and domestic irons. This spirit- fuelled flat iron was very popular in 1920s - 30s These sad irons remind us of the difficult circumstances experienced in their daily routines by the pioneers and early settlers of Moorabbin Shire The family of Miss M Curtis were early settlers in Moorabbin ShireA) spirit- fuelled, sad iron with chrome plated sole c1920, and metal trivet The iron is blue enamel with a white speckled body, with a hemispherical tank for the Coleman 'Lighting Petrol' that provided the heat for smoothing the material B) Coleman Fuel measuring can and funnellMetal Trivet/stand " COLEMAN" ; Petrol can " COLEMAN" / MEASURING CAN / for INSTANT LIGHTING IRON/ with printed instructionssad iron, kitchen equipment, coleman william, kansas, oklahoma, pioneers, early settlers, market gardeners, sewing, craftwork, clothing, moorabbin, brighton, bentleigh, fireplaces, stoves, petrol fuelled irons, spirit flat irons, coleman lamp stove co. ltd.

Collection of newspaper clippers in scrap book dated 1960 - 1973Newspaper article concerning the building of new bridge Phillip Island - San Remo; expected completion date; industrial dispute; photograph of old bridge"Sad, but it had to go"local history, newspapers, building of new bridge, phillip island - san remo 1967, jean jamieson

Small metal Dover Sad Iron Model 912"Dover No 912 Sadiron" on baseirons, laundry irons

Slyvester's Flat Iron, iron handle hollow. Inscriptions on top indecipherable heavy corrosion.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Slyvester's Flat Iron, iron handle hollow. Inscriptions on top indecipherable heavy corrosion.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

Screw driver wooden handle with flat iron blade and brass ring. London pattern flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, screw driver

'Goffing iron' similar to a small flat iron but with a curved base. Straight cylindrical handle'2' 'Silvester Patent' Arrow and knot designdomestic items, irons