Historical information

Sad irons, also called flat irons or smoothing irons, are shaped pieces of metal that are flat and polished on one side and have a handle attached to the other, created for the purpose of de-wrinkling fabric. “Sad” is an Old English word for “solid,” and the term “sad iron” is often used to distinguish the largest and heaviest of flat irons.

Significance

This iron is representative of the domestic appliances used throughout Australia up until electricity became widely available for domestic use.

Physical description

A small cast iron flat iron. The triangular shape of the iron made it easier to iron around buttons