General Information

Serial #

1912

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Metal (including nickel-plating) iron body and handle. Asbestos layer between sole and body. Wooden hand grip. Came with wooden display stand (pt.) with plexiglass protected metal 'name' plate. Velvet liner on base and in iron receptacle.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

24.0 cm

Width

15.0 cm

Height

16.2 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Domestic Technology

Category

Laundry

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Ideal

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

London

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

This iron presumably never used. This type used c. 1910+.

Canada

Type used and manufactured in Canada. This iron was manufactured by the Ideal Electric Mfg. Co., London, ON. When established (1904 or 1906),this firm was the sole mfr. of electric irons and heating appliances in Canada. Company was incorporated in August, 1913 (see letters patent 980122).

Function

Used to press flat and/or remove wrinkles from fabrics.

Technical

The electric iron was invented in 1882, by Howard Seely. Seely patented his electric flatiron on June 6, 1882 (U.S. Patent no. 259,054). Early electric irons used a carbon arc to create heat, which was an unsafe method. In 1892, hand irons using electrical resistance were introduced by Crompton and Company and the General Electric Company. During the 1950s, electric steam irons were introduced. This iron features a patented heating element which lies flat on the base. All heat generated is utilized at the point of contact with the material to be ironed. It was advertised as consuming less heat (1-2 amperes) than other irons on the market. This example said by donor to be the first iron mfd. (not confirmed). Alternatively, this iron may be intended to represent the first model or one of the first product lines mfd. by this company. Heating element patent granted to William Arthur Cooper, father-in-law of donor. W.A. Cooper was one of 5 founding members of Ideal electric Mfg. Co. (see supp. info for Co. history)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Metal plate screwed to iron body reads "THE IDEAL ELECTRIC MFG. CO./ TYPE E NO. 1912/ VOLTS 110/ AMP 3/ PATENTED 1908 LONDON, ONT.". Inscription on metal plate screwed to front of PT display stand reads "CANADA'S FIRST ELECTRIC IRON/ PATENTED 1908/ W.A. COOPER ".

Missing

Electric cord.

Finish

Duplex nickel-plating finish applied to iron body.

Decoration

N/A