Each region of the Orient had their own distinctive and yet
similar design "pan" iron. Each style or type of decoration was slightly
different. These pan-like implements were used for smoothing silks and
other fabrics and are quite different from irons used in other lands.
Some were heated with charcoal and others with hot sand. Smoothing was
done with a circular motion. They were often decorated with calligraphy,
geometric designs, elaborate scrollwork, faces, animals /creatures, trees /
leaves, etc. Some had elaborate handles in exotic materials, other were
plain and simple. Many are found with no handles at all. Some of these are marked CHINA on the bottoms and these are genuine and
authentic. Some have great decorations in their cast bodies, and some have
some finely carved ivory or bone handles.
There was a large population of Chinese and other Orientals living and working
in the US during the mid to late 1800's, and they bought a large number of their
tools and customs with them from their homeland including their ironing devices
seen here. My
understanding is that each design or decoration had a special meaning, symbolism,
or story. I am not aware of any detailed references about this style iron
to explain the markings,
and the one person I knew who was researching material for a book, and lived
here in CA, died before
it was finished. The pan irons below are from his collection.
The Norm Kelly collection had over 90 different examples
that he amassed over the years. We are offering the cream of the crop in
this listing.
* * * * * Priced as a Collection * * * * *
$5000 for all
SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This Oriental silk iron has a light green Jade
handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the jade
handle and a rear foot to keep it upright.Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Pan Iron This primitive wooden
handle silk iron has geometric designs on the cast body. Note the iron has an
open mouthed creature to accept the handle. This is one of the more interesting and
detailed examples. Early and nice!Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron w/ Jade Handle This pan iron has a light green Jade
handle with wooden ring. The cast design is a flower motif. Note this
iron also has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Red
Handle Oriental
Pan Iron This one has what I believe is a dyed red ivory handle.
It is very nicely carved. The decorations have a geometric pattern to them
like Chinese characters. Different!Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Silk Iron This one has no handle. Note the
pointed teardrop shape. This iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
The decoration is long serpents or snakes. With a wooden handle this one
would be very nice, and is a very early and detailed iron. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a light green Jade
handle with wooden ring. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the jade
handle. The decoration is carved into the body as opposed to cast. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Cast
Iron Oriental
Pan Iron This early pan iron has a ribbed wooden handle
with a brass end cap. This iron is decorated with geometric designs.
It is different in that it is cast iron when almost all found are brass or
bronze. It is a rare variation. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has lightly carved
ivory handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle. The decoration is cast high relief dragons / serpents winding
heir way around the body. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a light green Jade,
brass, and wooden handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
There is a lot of detailed decoration including deer, which represent long life
and good ironing results. The handle has very
unusual and decorative vine-like supports, a feature that is uncommon. It
is one of the more detailed and nicely done of all the irons Norm had.Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This large and graphic oriental
silk pan iron has no handle.
Note the unusual open cut out decorative top edge on this high back pan iron. 
Very Good SOLD!
Large Oriental
Pan Iron This brass or bronze Chinese
pan iron has a very interesting and different form casting with its rounded lip
decoration and finely cast body decorations. The handle receiver has the typical creature
with open mouth to receive the handle which would have been wood ivory, bone or
jade. It is unlike any of the others Norm had. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This large pan iron has no
handle. Note the open cut out decorative top edge, an unusual feature. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a small stubby wooden handle.
The body is decorated with finely cast geometric Chinese characters. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Pan Iron This one has a ball like
wooden handle. The decorative casting is very bold, and again has
characters only someone with an understanding of the meanings of life could decipher. Norm attempted to and had
numerous notes written for different irons, but he
died before he completed his research and published his work.
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a ribbed wooden handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the
handle and the patina is a green verdigris not often seen. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron with Figural Handle This one has a carved wooden handle
with a women-like face. Carole says Tibetan, I do not know. Geisha
perhaps. The iron has a
very detailed and decorative motif. The handle receiver has a face like many of the
others. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Silk Iron This one has a bamboo wrapped handle
and show evidence of lots of use, and a couple of solder like repairs to the thin walls /
corners on the inside. Not sure how that would work with hot coals in
there. Perhaps this was one of the ones that was heated with hot sand
instead. It has lots of cast in decoration. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a wooden handle with
decorated
brass end cap. It
has an unusual rounded lip at the top edge. There is lots of cast decorations in the body with one
tablet-like area with Chinese writing characters. Norm had tried to have
this translated or deciphered, but ran into a stumbling block. You
have to remember he was doing his research pre-Internet. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Pan Iron This one has a wooden
handle with a carved and decorated bone inlay. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the
handle. There are floral decorations that resemble cherry or dogwood
blossoms, two motifs that have significance in Chinese culture. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a turned and
decorated wooden handle. It is very nice. Note the iron has a
smooth receiver to accept the handle. It too has a a tablet-like sign cast
into the side as decoration. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has an old wooden handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
The decoration is a series of geometric squares and this one has a rounded lip
edge. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron w/ Figural Head Handle This one has a
figural brass head handle of a face. I am not sure if this is a
female or priestess or some Buddhist character. The head is very graphic
and almost oversized. It is much larger than the one on the iron just
below. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
The decoration has a highly detailed and graphic design of two stylized creatures
wrapped around the body meeting at the front. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Figrual
Handle Oriental
Silk Pan Iron This pan iron has a figural brass
head handle. He / she has a bun hairdo, with a Buddha like figure adorning
it above the forehead. The body of the pan is a highly
detailed and graphic design depicting bamboo like plants on one
side and a large flowering tree on the other. This is a very unusual pan
iron.Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a stone or gem
decorated handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
The decoration on the body is high relief dragons and serpents. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a light green
wooden handle
with dark wooden ring. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
The decoration looks to have been engraved in the body after the casting.
Very unusual. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This iron has a light green jade
handle with wooden ring. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the jade
handle. The casting on this one is different from the norm with the
indents in the side. It separated the different decorations on each panel.
The panels are flowers and people performing different tasks, but I have no
idea if it represents anything else. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a stone decorated
handle. The decoration on the sides are like fortune cookies---meaningless
and undecipherable gibberish unless you add "in bed" to whatever
they say---then each one has special meaning. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has an unusual handle
with wood and white stone like onyx and then wood
again. Note the iron has an open mouthed creature to accept the handle. The decoration is
a series of animated human figures at work or play. Kind of like a
synopsis of or story about life. Norm's notes described every detail, but
came up short on the meaning of it all.
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Pan Iron This one has an onyx
polished stone handle with decorative rosette end.. Note the iron has an open mouthed creature to accept the
handle like many of the others. The decoration is a series of turtles,
frogs and other critters performing a dance of life.Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a light green jade
handle and wooden ring. Note the high back design. The decoration is vines
and flowers incised
in the casting. Different!
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a light green jade
handle. Note the iron has an open mouthed creature to accept the jade
handle. The decoration looks to be some fort of long eared and long
tailed deer or
other creature. Different.
Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Small Oriental
Pan Iron This small silk iron has a light green
jade
and wooden ribbed ring handle. The decoration is long lizard /
serpents winding their way around the body of the iron. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a light green jade
handle with wooden ring. The decoration is very unusual.
On one side are a goat and duck, nose to nose, on the other side are two
creatures that look somewhat the same, but mythical, and about to do battle.
The Yin and Yang
of Pan Irons. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has what looks to be a
dyed red ivory handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
The decoration is a series of flowery vines around the body. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has what looks to be a
red ivory handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the
handle. The decoration is a series of flowery vines around the body.
It is nearly identical to the one just above but nicer.
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron with Clenched Fist Handle This one has a very unusual
handle in the form of a clenched fist holding a piece of jade. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the handle.
The body decoration is high relief snake like serpents winding around the body. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a cloisonné handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the
handle. Each of the eight panels depicts what I assume are the
immortals. It is the only one like this that Norm had.Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a cloisonné
like handle. It is a brass ring that fits over the wooden handle and is
decorated in enamels. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the
handle, a high back and pointed front design. The decoration is vines and
berries.
Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a nicely done cloisonné
handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the
handle. There are deer, birds, flowers and much more to the decorative
casting on the body. 
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron This one has a cloisonné
like handle. It is a brass collar like ring over the wooden handle. Note the iron has a open mouthed creature to accept the
handle. The body is decorated with flowers and berries and vines.
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Pan Iron w/ Carved Bone Handle This oriental
pan iron has a carved bone handle. On the handle there are flowers and
vines. The body has turtles, frogs, dragons and more. Nice!Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron w/ Carved Figural Ivory Handle This Oriental
pan iron has a carved ivory handle in the form of what looks to be a Buddhist monk holding a strand of beads.
It is really a wonderful piece. The body design is geometrics that could be
writing. Interesting!Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Iron w/ Carved Figural Ivory Handle This Oriental
pan iron has a carved ivory handle depicting a fat bellied Buddha like figure
balancing something on his head. The body design is geometrics that
could be Chinese writing. The rest on the bottom looks to be a nut or some
organic ball that has a brain like pattern to it. This is a very
unusual iron. Wonderful!Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron w/ Carved Bone Handle This Oriental
pan iron has a carved bone handle. On the handle there are flowers and
vines. Looking at the end you can see the channels and marrow area.
I am not sure if it is from an animal or an ancient ancestor. The body has intertwined circles with lines going this way and
that. Not sure what the significance of it all is, but it has a great look
to it. The rest on the bottom is a Chinese coin. Norm was so impressed by
this iron back in the 80's that he paid far more than we are asking for it now.
It is a special iron in a number of ways.
Interesting!
Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Pan Iron w/ Carved Figural Ivory Handle This Oriental
silk pan iron has a carved ivory handle of a Walrus head with open mouth. The detail
of the head is almost scrimshaw like in quality and detail. Look at the
teeth, eyes, ears and nose on this hungry fellow. It is really quite
remarkable. The body has geometric designs and the handle receiver is a
cast face. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Pan Iron w/ Carved Figural Ivory Handle This
Oriental
pan iron has a carved ivory handle depicting a lovely female figure holding onto
a creature like thing in her arms that looks like a foo dog, or Piglet.
Out of its mouth is a plume rising up and over her head which appears to be a bunch of flowers.
The main figurine's head is cocked to the left and has a blissful like expression
on it. The carving is exquisite. The rest on the bottom is a
round ivory ball with a face carved on it. He is enjoying the scenery, or
imaging whatever she is feeling, and the message and imagery could be
interpreted in any number of ways. The body and handle receiver are
also decorated. This is one of the best Norm found, and one of his
favorites, and sure to be a highlight of your collection as well. Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
Oriental
Silk Pan Iron w/ Carved Bone Handle This
Oriental
pan iron has a wonderful carved figural handle. The maker signed it with
his or her
initials. On the end of the handle is a Dodo-like bird or large beaked parrot with a
great but worried expression to it. The detailing is great, and the look on its
face is super. The rest of the handle is decorated with highly detailed
flowers and leaves. The cast brass body has many interesting designs in addition
to the geometric cross hatching typically found. There is a small repair
to the front edge that is hardly noticeable. This was the most
expensive pan iron that Norm had. He never mentioned in his notes who he
bought different ones from, but he did proudly reveal what he had paid. Interesting!Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic Click for Pic
Very Good SOLD!
* * * * * Priced as a Collection * * * * *
$5000 for all
SOLD!
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