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Unusual Antique Flatiron / Sad Iron Sales Archives

 

Red Silver Streak Deco Pyrex Iron    One of the most desirable of all irons, this beauty is on the top of the want list of every iron collector.  Manufactured by the Saunders Company, this electric iron is totally unique in that its entire top shell is glass or Pyrex, with just the sole plate being chrome plated metal.   Although they are often referred to as a "Deco" iron, they actually date from the 40's, during the WWII era when metal was in short supply and when Pyrex cookware was becoming all the rage.  They were made in red, blue, green and clear.  The name "Silver Streak" and its "Buck Rogers" design probably made it very appealing to the modern consumer, but the practical considerations of the fragility of a glass iron made them a short lived commodity.  I don't have to tell you how scarce these Pyrex irons are in this condition, with no cracks or chips or apologies, so I will just say that this example is sure to please.     Very Good ..... $550.00     SOLD

 

Hood's Patented Spade-Shape Soapstone Flatiron    There must have been a reason that soapstone irons didn't catch on with the ironers of the last century---perhaps they were cost-prohibitive, or perhaps it was simply that irons are supposed to be made of just that---iron.  In any case this novel idea of using a soapstone body to retain the heat was patented by Phineas Hood of New Hampshire  in 1887 and it now stands as one of the all-time favorites among pressing iron collectors worldwide.  "Hood's Patent" and "Pat'd Jan 15, 1887 are sharply cast into the handle of this example and the soapstone portion is clean and bright.  I guarantee you'll love the condition on this one!            Very Good+ ............$125.00   SOLD

 

Simmons Special 2-Piece Sad Iron and Trivet   Far from an ordinary "Mrs. Potts style" antique sadiron, this one was sold by the legendary St. Louis, Missouri hardware company that also brought us the famed Keen Kutter line of hardware and housewares.  This iron is really great looking and proudly proclaims the Simmons name in bold casting.  The condition of this example is outstanding.  It was purchased out of a California collection and looks to have spent most of its life in a nice dry climate that allowed it to keep its nickel plating bright and shiny and to remain rust-free.  The wooden handle is also in very nice condition and is marked "Colebrookdale" on one side and "Registered in US Patent Office" on the other.  It's nickel plating is equally bright.  The matching trivet is marked "Simmons Special".  I have seen this trivet before where the lettering was raised, but in this example it is actually incised into the bed.  I guarantee you're not likely to find a finer example!                  Excellent .............$65.00     SOLD

 

P.W. Weida's Patent Swinging Handle Flatiron   The mid-1800's saw numerous innovations aimed at producing irons with cooler handles.   One Peter W. Weida of Philadelphia, PA patented his solution on March 12, 1870.   His unique idea was a hinged handle, the front of which could be disengaged from the base and swung around and out of the way in order that the iron be inverted and placed upside down to get hot.  This design served the dual purpose of keeping the sole clean as well as the handle cool to the touch when the iron was turned back over into its working position and the handle reconnected.  It was a brilliant idea, but like so many other good ideas, in actual use I found it to be more than a little cumbersome.  And I wasn't even trying to maneuver it while hot!  Nonetheless the form is great and unlike that of any other iron, which probably means the design didn't go over very well with the public, which would explain the scarcity of these pieces.  This example is marked the Model 1, which is the version with the swivel latch.  Apparently the later Model 2 was redesigned with a spring-loaded release lever that eliminated the serious problem of burning your thumb that would have been inevitable in trying to release this one if the iron was anything but fully cooled off.  Another brilliant example of  American genius gone awry!         Very Good............$275.00      SOLD

 

 

Patented Removable Handle Revolving Iron    I would guess that this is the rarest American patented iron that I have ever owned. There are a number of irons that I think most collectors would agree are to be considered rare---the Dion and the Goat Fluters come to mind, the Gem Thermometer iron would be another, the Swan-on-Swan would fit the category, etc. But all of those mentioned are irons that I have either owned at one time, or have seen in other long-time collections. I would be really curious to know if there is another example of this iron known, as the only reference I have ever seen to it was in Esther Berney's collection as shown in her out-of-print Collector's Guide to Pressing Irons and Trivets, and I cannot trace where that exact iron is located now that she has passed on. In any case, her research indicated that the December 25, 1877 patent on this iron was held by Oliver Avery, Jr. of Groton, New York (home to another famous iron inventor, Nelson Streeter). This revolving iron consists of a solid base with 4 ironing surfaces---a wide convex polishing side, two narrow sides, and a flat side. The handle detaches for heating the base, but for when it was in use it allows the base to revolve to all four sides without completely detaching it by means of a wing-nut release on the grip that allows the legs of the handle to loosen or tighten against the sides of the base. Like many other great ideas that look good on paper, this one has its problems in actual operation, and from the way it works I would venture to guess that more than once the hot and heavy base of this iron inadvertently detached from the handle and landed on some poor soul's toes. Its cumbersome operation must have made have doomed it from being a widespread marketing success, undoubtedly explaining its scarcity. Another great California find!

Excellent............SOLD

 

 

Magee Furnace Co. Sadiron Heating Stove   Here is another example of a cast iron stove from the late 1800's that was designed specifically for heating pressing irons.  The idea with these stoves was that you could have numerous sadirons heating on the stove at all times so you would always have several hot ones ready to go.  The 7 inclined "shelves" along the sides of the belly of the stove are formed to securely hold 7 irons in their upright position, leaving the top of the stove available for a wash boiler and to keep the round removable stove plates accessible for adding more fuel to the fire.  These stoves are a great way to display a collection of irons.  This example is marked Magee Furnace Co. Boston.  There is a chip in the bottom edge that you can see in the pictures, but other than that the condition is very good.  Note the Queen of Hearts design on the legs which are charming replacements.        Very Good as noted ..... $450.00     SOLD

 

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