Vintage Electric Irons

Waage "Glad Iron"

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:28:00 +0000

With few exceptions, the irons made by the Waage Manufacturing Company are not rare.

Alvin H. Waage and Clarence P. Waage of Chicago, Illinois were awarded a patent for their "Triple Heat" iron in 1912 and were selling them that same year. The distinguishing physical characteristics of that iron are three (vs. two) prongs to connect the cord and the fins extending from the back end of the iron, which serve as a built in rest. While not in use the iron can stand upright on those fins.

Recently an iron without those fins was acquired. It is labeled "Glad Iron" and the name of the company is slightly different, Waage Electric Company. Several years ago a similar iron, in red, was listed for sale on eBay. (The company is still in business in Kenilworth, New Jersey. It manufactures commercial electric heating equipment and is now Waage Electric Inc.).

Before the age of electricity irons were known as "sad irons": The word "sad" then meant "heavy." Since an electric iron was much less onerous to heat and to use than a sad iron, a few manufacturers decided to sell their irons as "glad irons." In 1911 Hotpoint placed an ad in The Saturday Evening Post"; in 1914 the Rochester Railway and Light Co. placed an ad in Dau's Blue Book; and in 1923 the Southern Canada Power Co., Ltd. placed ads: All three advertised their irons as "glad irons."

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

Wicks (Cleveland)

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:40:00 +0000

While researching the Albert Wicks iron of Canada, I learned of a Wicks iron made in the United States in Cleveland, Ohio. An ad from the June 1915 issue of The Electrical Record indicates that The Wicks Electric Co. was at 1384 East 40th Street, N.E.

The ad states "This Iron Has Air Cooled Pins: A new feature in electric iron construction found exclusively in the Wicks Famous and it absolutely prevents the pins becoming heated, eliminating all cord and plug trouble." The pins are elevated above the body of the iron, leaving an air gap between them and the source of heat.

A patent for the air cooled terminals––#1,094,506–-was awarded on April 28, 1914.

I am unaware of any surviving examples of this iron. If you have one I'd like to post a photograph of it.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

The Electrical Record June 1915

Albert Wicks (Canada)

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:19:00 +0000

Albert Wicks of Guelph, Ontario, was awarded patents in Canada and the U.S. for the iron in these photos. U.S. patent #999,421 was awarded on August 1, 1911 and Canadian patent #146,419 on March 4, 1913. Mr. Wicks was also awarded Canadian patent #225,643 on November 11, 1922 for a different electric iron that featured an on/off switch in the handle (see image below).

A May 30, 1912 notice in The Iron Age announces that Albert Wicks is among the directors of the newly incorporated Victor Electric Company, Ltd., of Guelph, Ontario. The relationship of Victor to the Wicks iron is not yet understood.

Research is courtesy of Dennis P. McDonald. The iron is from the Osdene collection.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.


U.S. Patent #999,421 Issued August 1, 1911

Canadian Patent #225,643 Issued November 7, 1922

Phelps Manufacturing Company

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:01:00 +0000

Searches using the Internet provide notices, ads and a patent for the Phelps Manufacturing Company of Detroit, Michigan. All search results date 1910-13, which is perhaps a longer life for Phelps than other enterprises of that time that tried to join the burgeoning industry producing electrical appliances for the home.

The clinical distinguishing feature of the Phelps is the wavy pattern cast into the top of the body, perhaps a reflection of Art Nouveau, which was, in 1910, on the wane after twenty years of popularity. Other irons of this period show similar efforts in their castings, eg. American Electrical Heater, also of Detroit.

The technological distinguishing feature is the heating element, perhaps not the first but certainly one of the earliest to use mica sheets as a frame and insulation for the resistance wire, in this case made of nickel chromium alloy (according to an April 1911 notice in Southern Electrician, see below).

The identification plate on the iron states "Patent Pending". Patent #966,703 was awarded to James W. Phelps on August 9, 1910, after submitted his application on October 31, 1909, so we can deduce that the iron we have in hand was made between those dates.

The 1911 ad (and notice) from Southern Electrician show the iron on a sheet metal stand. Two years later, the ad from Electrical Record notes that it is their "second design" and features a steel wire stand attached to the back end of the iron.

Research is courtesy of Dennis P. McDonald. The iron is from the Osdene collection.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

Southern Electrician - April 1911

Electrcial Record - November 1913

LIberty Gauge and Instrument Company

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:24:00 +0000

These are not irons, they are electric hot plates. However, the company that made them––Liberty Gauge and Instrument (Cleveland)––played a key role in the technological development of electric irons. From William F. George's Antique Electric Waffle Irons 1900-1960 (available for sale here):

"Despite its very short life span, Liberty Gauge had a profound influence on the development of the modern appliance industry. Several Cleveland businessmen organized the company as a machine shop to manufacture war goods during World War I, thus the patriotic "Liberty" name. When the war ended in 1918, the company suffered a sharp decline in business and the owners scrambled to find a new niche for their enterprise. J.A. Zimmer, one of the principles, hit upon the idea of entering the hot new growth industry of electric appliances.

In 1921, Liberty introduced its first product, an inexpensive electric hot plate. It was an instant success, selling over 2000,000 units in the first year. In 1925, Joe Myers, a Jackson, Michigan inventor, approached the company with a new clothes iron he had designed with what turned out to be the first reliable adjustable temperature control found in any appliance. The Liberty version of the iron was introduced at the 1926 Philadelphia electrical trade show. Here it caught the attention of Philadelphia appliance maker Proctor and Schwartz, who had been unsuccessful in developing a trouble-free thermostat of its own for a toaster. In 1928, after lengthy negotiations, Proctor and Schwartz purchased Liberty Gauge outright for $200,000, and incorporated Liberty's thermostat technology into its own products. Joe Myers went with Proctor and Schwartz and head the research department until his retirement in 1953."

The first two photographs below are, I believe, the hot plate with a thermostat. The photographs below those are of the pre-thermostat version. These hot plates are rarely seen. The advertisement, from the September 1922 issue of House and Garden, shows the pre-thermostat Liberty Gauge hot plate.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.


House and Garden September 1922

Guaranty Electric Heater Company

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:33:00 +0000

In an earlier post on the W. J. Barr Electric Co. it was noted that the trail of William J. Barr grew cold after 1908. Recent research by Dennis P. McDonald on the Guaranty iron reveals that Mr. Barr was, in July 1908, president of Guaranty Electric Heater Company, also in Cleveland.

Very little is known about the products of Guaranty. One iron is known to survive, in the Osdene collection, a 3 lb. version that matches one illustrated in a March 1910 trade notice. The same notice mentions a 6 lb. version.

The February 19, 1910 issue of Electrical Review and Western Electrician notes that the heating element in the Guaranty iron is unique "... in that the resistance material is not made of wire and will therefore not corrode or disintegrate. It is also very easily removed by simply loosening the screw in the center of the top of the iron. This allows the operator to install or remove an element with little or no trouble and a unit suitable for the work in hand may always be used." Other irons of the era, e.g. the Acme iron of 1911, were also marketed for the ease by which their heating elements could be changed, a sign that the durability of the elements was still questionable.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

March 12, 1910 Electrical Review and Western Electrician

W. J. Barr Electric Mfg. Co.

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:24:00 +0000

All research and documents courtesy of Dennis P. McDonald. Irons from the Osdene collection.

"W. J. Barr, Cleveland, President the W. J. Barr Electric Mfg. Co. Born Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England, January 14, 1870. Educated in private schools; came to U.S. [in] 1891, locating at Alliance, Ohio. Came to Cleveland, 1892. With Gobelle Pattern Co. at Grottoes, Virginia 1893-95. Returned to Cleveland as manager 1896-98. General manager the American Hardwood Mfg. Co. Williams-Abbott Electric Co., 1898-1900. Organized the present firm 1900. Incorporated as the W. J. Barr Mfg. Co., 1903. Elected president. Re-organized and incorporated under present name 1905, elected president. Republican in politics."

I would guess that the larger No. 2841 iron came later than the smaller Type 2A: the use of an asbestos layer sandwiched in the cast iron body is a more sophisticated use than a layer of asbestos on top, as in the 2A. Further evidence for my guess is the more primitive means of connecting the power supply to the 2A: screw terminals.

Mr. Barr's electric heating enterprise was, apparently, short-lived. The internet trail grows cold for ads or notices after 1908.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

July 7, 1906 Electrical World

December 1906 The Electrical Age

Type 2A

Type 2A Identification Plate

No. 2841


No. 2841 Identification Plate

Kwik Way Cat. No. K-145-8

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:01:00 +0000

Kwik Way was the lost-cost product line of Knapp-Monarch (St. Louis).

It's hard to say when this iron was made. It lacks a thermostat and has a handle made of wood, which normally would suggest that it predates the streamlined era, but the patent number it bears was awarded in 1934. It could even have been made just after WWII when demand for small appliances skyrocketed. It was made for the market where price was paramount over quality and convenience: Every expense was spared in the manufacture of this iron.

Patent #1,951,176 was granted to John E. Smith of Plainfield, NJ who assigned the rights to Knapp-Monarch. See the clipping below of text from the patent for its technical raison d'être.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

Radiant (Toronto, Canada)

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:19:00 +0000

In the February 24, 1910 issue of The Iron Trade Review it was announced that The Radiant Electric Mfg. Co. Ltd. (Toronto) filed articles of incorporation, and issued stock in the amount of $40,000 to Edward W. Drake, George H. Fairles, and Thomas B. Slocombe.

In the November 1910 issue of The Busy Man's Magazine the advertisement (below) listed the address of the manufacturer as 35 Adelaide St. West, Toronto. (It seems odd that an iron, typically used by women, was advertised in a magazine for men!)

The shiny example of this iron belongs to a fellow collector and has the words "Radiant" and "Toronto" cast into the top. The green one just arrived from an auction in Canada and I cannot tell if any words lay underneath the paint.

Research on this iron generously provided by Dennis P. McDonald, a wizard of internet search.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

Lady Dover Cat. No. 21

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:36:00 +0000

This iron was made by the Knapp-Monarch Company of St. Louis, Missouri. This example is dated as made in April 1940. They were sold as early as 1939 and as late as 1948. At some point they were changed to be Cat. No. 19-900.

Knapp-Monarch produced this iron in a variety of configurations: with red accents painted into the grooves at the forward point of the handle; a simplified shape made of wood (instead of Bakelite) for the gripping section of the handle; a red pilot light in the side of the rear support for the handle; or a simplified handle and supports in place of the complicated superstructure of this iron.

This iron was found with its box and that's a first in thirty years of collecting.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons, read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

Knapp-Monarch "Steam King" no. 475-R

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:39:00 +0000

Quoting from the book Streamlined Irons (pages 74-75):

"This iron expresses the inclination to move forward; it moves at at unhurried speed. It uses elements of machine-age design like no other iron. The handle is made of wood! But the amount of labor it took to make and assemble this complex device, along with the poor performance of boiler-type steam irons, translated into weak sales. Its appearance on the market was brief."

This iron was on the market in 1940; perhaps the years before and after.

Russell I. Huffman was awarded two patents for this iron: a design patent––#126,438––on April 8, 1941 and a technical patent––#2,343,555––on March 7, 1944.

In my thirty or so years of collecting I've seen five or six of these.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons, read this post.

Proctor & Schwartz Electric Co: Cat. No. 915-S

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:50:00 +0000

Paraphrasing from Antique Electric Waffle Irons: 1900-1960, William F. George's history of small appliances in the U.S:

Proctor & Schwartz Electric Company began in 1885 as the Philadelphia Textile & Machinery Company. In 1920 it became Proctor & Schwartz, with facilities at 7th St. and Tabor Road in Philadelphia. In 1928 it purchased Liberty Gauge and Instrument Company (of Cleveland, Ohio) and was thereupon known as Proctor & Schwartz Electric Company. The acquisition of Liberty Gauge provided the technology to make the first iron with a reliable temperature control.

This 915-S is the only one I've seen and it's in excellent condition: clearly a well made machine. In between the Bakelite ends of the handle is a grip made of cork . This construction was also used on its Snap Stand iron. Both share the same control knob. The Snap Stand was produced from 1935-38 and I think the 915-S precedes that, so I'm guessing 1930-35.

The words "Do Not Detach" are stamped into the fitting on the cord where it is attached to the iron. Prior to the development of reliable temperature control for irons, a common means of control was for the user to pull out (and later replace) the cord of the iron. The label on the end of the box advertises "built-in switch".

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons, read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

Westinghouse Type "H"

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:25:00 +0000

In these earlier posts I wrote about the Westinghouse #185322D and the Westinghouse Type "M".

Recently acquired is a Type "H". Its design suggests that it was made after the 185322D but before the Type "M". If so, that would place it sometime between 1916 and 1922.

The sole plate and body of the H is virtually identical to the 185322D, with a cord receptacle that is not proprietary but instead, generic. This is a reflection of a trend of that time: standardization of electrical fittings. The profile of the wooden grip of the handle is a more modern profile.

The M has a flared sole plate, something that puts in later than the H, and the manner in which the handle supports are attached to the body are, again, a cleaner and more modern design.

If you're looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons, read this post.

A book full of beautiful photographs of vintage electric irons can be seen here.

From left to right: 185322D, Type "H", Type "M"

Type "H"

Type "H" Identification Plate

Rutenber "Marion"

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:16:00 +0000

In an earlier post Irons of Marion, Indiana there's a bit of history of the Rutenber Electric Co.

A magazine ad for this iron (below) is dated August 19, 1922. The iron is not plated with chrome and does not have temperature control, technologies that came later in the 1920s.

Patent #1,455, 502 (below) was issued for the handle on May 15, 1923. The patent says it "... may be made of cast metal, wood or plastic composition ... " The handle of this iron is made of Bakelite or a similar material. I can't recall an iron that used a thermoplastic for the handle in this way in the 1920s. Not until the early 1930s–at the advent of streamlining–was it routinely used to make complex forms.

The patent goes on to state the benefits of the handle: "When a flat iron ... is furnished with the improved handle of my invention the iron is more easily guided in its movements over the fabric and cramping of the fingers incident to keeping a tight grip on the handle is obviated. The labor of ironing is thus diminished."

This is a rare iron and in the best condition of any "Marion" I've seen: The handle is not deteriorated in the way that the handles on the others are.

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post. A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

Saturday Evening Post August 19, 1922

Dowsings Polishers

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:17:00 +0000

From p.61 in Esther S. Berney's book, A Collector's Guide To Pressing Irons and Trivets:

"Shiny, stiffly starched blouse and shirt bosoms as well as collars and cuffs were in great demand from the mid-1800s until World War II. To attain this glaze, gloss, or burnish that was designated as a 'polish,' various styles of irons were devised.

First of all, after an article was laundered, it had to be put into a solution of starch; it was then wrung out and dried. Before being ironed, it subsequently needed to be evenly dampened.

With the usual sad iron it was difficult to get the desired sheen, as a good deal of pressure was required and the edges of the iron left lines of demarcation on the fabric. Polishing irons corrected the situation. They were made smaller (most weighed four pounds), and with normal pressure they would produce a smooth high gloss. Some polishing irons had a convex sole or one with configurations; other had a beveled heel or toe or a roller."

These two irons were made by Dowsings, an early producer of electric irons in England. I am not aware of any electric polishing irons made in the United States.

I do not know when these two were produced, but the chrome plated one must date later than the other, and is the only plated electric polisher I've seen.

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post.

A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

Crown Manufacturing Co.

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 14:25:00 +0000

The unusual–though not unique–aspect of this iron is the extra width of the ironing surface. No doubt it was marketed as an iron that made the job of ironing more efficient than those regular irons with less real estate on the fabric.

On October 2, 1940 Albert Maescher of St. Louis, Missouri filed for a design patent on this iron. Patent #126,747 was granted on April 22, 1941. The timing of this patent is surprising: Its appearance is more like an iron conceived in the later 1920s than in the early 1940s. Regardless, this iron is not rare (nor common) but until now was always found in fair to poor condition, as if it has been repeatedly subjected to overheating. This must be due to poor engineering and/or cheap construction. This example dodged the decrepit state of its fellows: it was never used.

Mr. Maescher–the owner of Crown Mfg. Co.–was later involved in a patent infringement suit having nothing to do with this iron. In the judge's ruling on that suit it is mentioned that Crown Manufacturing Co. was ".. dissolved by action of the stockholders on March 30, 1942."

Given the lackluster quality of this iron and that it came onto the market just before WWII–when production of all domestic appliances ceased so that factories could produce material for the war–the short life of Crown Mfg. is not surprising.

(All research cited here courtesy of Dennis P. McDonald.)

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post.

A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

Colebrookdale

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 17:01:00 +0000

As far as I know, the Colebrookdale Iron Co. of Pottstown, PA made only one model of electric iron, and very few of those have survived. This example has survived with its matching stand. The iron bears a patent date of November 9, 1909 but the patent could not be located.

The ad below is a segment from a newspaper ad placed by the Culbertson Grote-Rankin & Company of Spokane, Washington, which appeared on page 10 of the October 28, 1912 issue of the Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Newspaper clippings courtesy of Dennis P. McDonald.)

This notice in regards to the Colebrookdale Iron Col. appeared in the January 18, 1930 issue of The Reading Eagle:

And, here's a bit of history of the Colebrookdale Furnace.

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post.

A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

Reimers No. 125

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:46:00 +0000

In the undated copy of Reimers literature (below) this iron is designated as a "Heavy Laundry" iron, weighing 12 lbs. and with five heat levels ranging from 325-700 watts. The model number, 125, is stamped into the back end of the sole plate. Also stamped is "822" which I am going to guess means August, 1922.

The patent–#1,114,805–dated October 27, 1914 was awarded to Alfred E. Reimers of New York City, New York. It states, in part, that it is designed to provide "... a resistance unit for pressing irons which is so constructed as to permit of a graduated control of heat; which admits of the necessary expansion and contratction withou liabliity of injury to its elements, and comprises a compact closely connected arrangement of heater and regulator which is simple in construction and economical in operation and admits of very close regulation.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a single layer heating resistance which is in itself controllable; which is simple and economical in construction, requiring only two insulating sheets; which contains no taps, contacts or joints in the heater, and in which every turn and section lies directly against the surface to be heated ... "

A bit of Reimers history is in a previous post. According to recent correspondence with the president of Reimers Electra Steam (of Clear Brook, Virginia) they had a factory in New Jersey until 1947 and manufactured irons until "about five years ago."

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post.

A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

Carpenter Electric Heating Coffee Pot

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Occasionally VEI goes off the rails. Here it's a coffee pot made by the Carpenter Electric Heating Manufacturing Co.

This pot appeared in an 1893 Carpenter product catalog along with eighteen other types of electric appliance, noted in this earlier post. In the catalog the coffee pot has a hinged lid on the spout, now missing from this specimen, which is also missing the cord. Otherwise, it is in excellent condition. The sides are heavy gauge copper. The feet are cast brass as are the handle supports. The base plate is enameled cast iron with red around the edge that appears to be resin (or rubber?) of some kind. The handle and knob are walnut.

Want information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post.

A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

American Gas Machine No. 60

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 21:56:00 +0000

When electric irons appeared on the market they had to compete with the established means of heating an iron and the established companies that made them. Some manufacturers added electric irons to their line of non-electric irons, e.g. Ober, Coleman and most successfully, Dover. American Gas Machine (AGM) of Albert Lea, Minnesota–the main competitor to Coleman in the business of gas lighting–also produced an electric iron that, until recently, I was unaware of.

The dates of the No. 60 are not yet known but Coleman introduced its first electric iron in the late 1920s and this iron looks to be from that period, so I conclude it is from the mid to late 1920s, perhaps the early 1930s. It offers no strong visual clues that it was made for AGM by another company, though the body is reminiscent of a Universal and the plug surround is reminiscent of those on a Hotpoint iron of the period. No patent for this iron could be found.

A good history of AGM can be found here. (Thanks to Dennis McDonald for the link.)

Want information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post.

A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

Franklin Model 25

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:44:00 +0000

The "Franklin" Model 25 was made by the Electrical Development & Machine Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1919 the company was located at 221-227 N. 23rd St. Ads and notices of the times indicate that its principal product line was hardware used in building electric distribution. "Franklin" was their brand name for all their products..

I don't recall seeing one of their irons before. This one recently arrived here at VEI from an address in Lexington, Kentucky, so it traveled a ways from Philadelphia only to return. My guess is that it was made 1915-20. It looks as if it had a metal guard around the prongs, now missing.

The identification plate states "Licensed Wiegand Patents." I assume it refers to two patents held by Henry J. Wiegand: #1,120,259 (December 8, 1914) and #1,154,963 (September 29, 1915). Both are related to the heating elements of irons. The earlier patent was assigned to Cutler-Hammer.

Want information about an iron you don't see on this blog? Read this post.

A nifty book about vintage electric irons–full of historical information and gorgeous photographs –can be seen here.

Simplex 1502 & 1502D

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Simplex, which began as American Electric Heating, eventually became part of General Electric. A bit of Simplex's early history is in this post.

These two irons–the smaller 1502 and the larger 1502D–were made circa 1905. They represent one step in the design and construction of electric irons. For example, they have thin metal shrouds over the body of the iron. Earlier irons did not have a shroud. In addition, the ceramic junction block is an intermediate step between (the early means of) connecting the wires directly to the heating element and (the later means of using) a detachable cord.

As representative of later design developments, also shown are Simplex types 1060 and 1961. (The type 1961 was the subject of an earlier post.) The 1060 was likely made circa 1915-20.

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons? Read this post.

My nifty book about vintage electric irons, full of gorgeous photographs, can be seen here.

Type 1502D (rear) and Type 1502 (front)

Type 1060

Type 1060 (left) and Type 1961 "Spartan" (right)

Cutler-Hammer Code 1001

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:48:00 +0000

Harry Henderson Cutler (1859-1933) and Edward West Hammer incorporated Cutler-Hammer Manufacturing Co. in 1893, which exists today as a division of the Eaton Co.

This iron– stamped "code 1001" –says it is a Boudoir Type on the box, which typically means it was also intended to be a travel iron, hence the easy-to-remove handle. It carries one patent date: July 25, 1905. This patent–#795,747–was awarded to Charles Wirt for an electric "resistance unit." The cord has a switch in it–unusual for the time–making it simpler to control temperature.

Cutler-Hammer's code 1002 iron (which is the same size and weight at the code 1001) does NOT have a removable handle and carries different–and later–patent dates: July 6, 1906 and August 17, 1915.

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons? Read this post.

My nifty book about vintage electric irons, full of gorgeous photographs, can be seen here.

(Part of) the July 25, 1905 patent on the Cutler-Hammer 1001

Shipping label on the box of the Code 1001

The Code 1002 (see lower right corner of sole plate)

(Part of) the Feb. 6, 1906 Patent on the Cutler-Hammer 1002

Electrahot Style No. 54

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Over the years and through hundreds of vintage electric irons I've seen, maybe one iron was made for a lefty, that is a left-handed person. Here's one made for an ambidextrous person, the Electrahot Style No. 54.

A bit of history of Electrahot is in this previous post.

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons? Read this post.

My nifty book about vintage electric irons, full of gorgeous photographs, can be seen here.

Manufacturers of Electric Laundry Irons in 1913

noreply@blogger.com (A.C.B.) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 15:23:00 +0000

This list appeared on page 77 of the April 1913 McGraw Electrial Directory, as manufacturers of electric laundry irons:

1.   Acme Electric Heater Co., Detroit, Michigan.
2.   American Electrical Heater Co., Detroit Michigan
3.   Cadillac Electric Mfg. Co., Cadillac, Michigan
4.   Diamond Electric Co., Binghamton, New York
5.   Electric Device Co., Los Angeles, California
6.   Electric Mfg. Co., San Francisco, California
7.   Electrical Mfg. Co., Cleveland, Ohio
8.   Fulton Electric Co., Atlanta, Georgia
9.   General Electric Co. Schenectady, New York
10. Guaranty Electric Heater Co., Cleveland, Ohio
11. Helion Electric Co., Newark, New Jersey
12. Hotpoint Electric Heating Co., Ontario, California
13. Loetscher-Ryan Mfg. Co., Dubuque, Iowa
14. Lux, E. H., Logansport, Indiana
15. Pelouze Mfg. Co., Chicago, Illinois
16. Phelps Mfg. Co., Detroit, Michigan
17. Prometheus Electric Co., New York, New York
18. Rutenber Electric Co., Logansport, Indiana
19. Simplex Electric Heating Co., Cambridge, Massachusetts
20. Sterling Machine and Stamping Co., Wellington, Ohio
21. Vulcan Electric Heating Co., Buffalo, New York
22. Westco Supply Co., St. Louis, Missouri
23. Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Number 16 on the list is Phelps Mfg. Co. Below is the "So-Easy," an iron made by Phelps and rarely seen. The August 1910 patent for this iron–#966,703–granted to James W. Phelps of Detroit, Michigan, can be seen here. Since the patent was filed in October 1909 and "Pats. pending" is on the iron, it is likely this iron was made between October 1909 and August 1910.

Looking for information about an iron you don't see on this blog, or just want to contact me about vintage electric irons? Read this post.

My nifty book about vintage electric irons, full of gorgeous photographs, can be seen here.