Old metal iron heater?

diabolicalbeans

Jr. Member
Oct 30, 2020
80
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W. Massachusetts
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Metal Detecting
I found this the other day, I'm assuming it's for heating old irons... But I can't find a picture of anything similar online. Has anyone seen one before?

20230416_145226.jpg
 

Upvote 19
I've not seen one before, but yeah it looks like some type of sad iron stove top design that maybe ran on gas?
 

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Iā€™d say you are right. Possibly from a laundry business. I donā€™t think most individuals kept 3 irons going. It would allow for steadier turn out for ironed laundry maximizing labor.
I was wondering how on earth momma was running 3 ironsšŸ¤”šŸ˜
I like your thinking therešŸ‘šŸ’Ŗ
 

I think it was actually standard to have more than one iron going. Once the one you are using cools down, put it on the fire and pick up the one that has been heating up and keep going. Keeps you from having to wait on an iron to heat up. I would assume having 3 could make it maybe a little faster, or maybe if you had another person helping it would be useful.
Iā€™d say you are right. Possibly from a laundry business. I donā€™t think most individuals kept 3 irons going. It would allow for steadier turn out for ironed laundry maximizing labor.
 

My grandma sat hers directly on the wood stove to heat. I canā€™t imagine that this would have been an affordable luxury for many families. But I guess anything is possible.
 

That's different recovery, kind of cool.
Was there a maker's name on the device?
I was thinking it could be for different size irons, but the rests have all the same spacing.
 

Wonder how many men bought one of those back in the old times, for their wife on their 1st anniversary. Bet they got smacked upside the head like I did when I got my wife a clothes hamper and a new coffee pot on our first.
My buddy quit buying presents for his wife. She doesnā€™t use what he gets her. Like the cemetery plot, for example. šŸ˜‚
 

Iā€™d say you are right. Possibly from a laundry business. I donā€™t think most individuals kept 3 irons going. It would allow for steadier turn out for ironed laundry maximizing labor.
Not uncommon (at least at one time it wasn't) to take in others laundry in ones home.
Production efficiency at ironing time meant having a hot enough iron on hand at all times.

I'm getting imaginative now , but outdoor work in hot weather or even indoors , running a wood or coal stove would be unpleasant.
Though some water still had to be heated somewhere. Getting away from a fire or large heat radiating source on hot days wouldn't be objected too.
(Outdoor kitchens and or laundry areas were used not that long ago by at least some folks.)
 

Not uncommon (at least at one time it wasn't) to take in others laundry in ones home.
Production efficiency at ironing time meant having a hot enough iron on hand at all times.

I'm getting imaginative now , but outdoor work in hot weather or even indoors , running a wood or coal stove would be unpleasant.
Though some water still had to be heated somewhere. Getting away from a fire or large heat radiating source on hot days wouldn't be objected too.
(Outdoor kitchens and or laundry areas were used not that long ago by at least some folks.)
Yes. Summer kitchens were separate buildings so the heat of the stove didnā€™t make the main house hotter in the summer while cooking and doing laundry.
 

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