General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Cast iron body & lid. Brass heat shield. Wooden handle and latch knob.

Dimensions

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

Length

23.0 cm

Width

12.9 cm

Height

22.3 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

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Charcoal irons were presumably used in Canada from the 1880s up and until the 1950s.

Function

Used to press and smooth textiles.

Technical

Charcoal irons were innovations to the traditional sad iron or cold handle sad iron. They were used in many rural areas up and into the 1950s, as electricity was either unavailable or unreliable. In many developing countries, this style of iron (traditional and not tailor's) is still quite popular. Charcoal was placed inside the iron. Smoke from the burning charcoal was drawn up through the chimney and away from the clothes. The flue at the back of the iron could be opened or kept shut depending on how much oxygen was needed to keep the charcoals burning. Sizing on irons varied – the larger the size of the iron, the heavier the textile in need of pressing. This particular iron's size is an 8 ½; required for pressing a heavier textile.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

‘VICTORIA/DIEU ET MON DROIT/REGISTERED’ embossed on heat shield along with a coat of arms. ‘8 ½’ cast on stack and inside of base.

Missing

V-shaped grate inside firebox? From CA of 03/18/1994 by Tony Missio: No - Complete

Finish

Unfinished and polished metal body. Wooden handle and knob originally varnished?

Decoration

Raised leaf-like pattern cast along edges of lid. Raised stitch-like pattern embossed along sides of heat shield with floral motif at either end.