American
Antique Gas / Fuel Pressing Irons
The
Gem Gas Iron
In the early years of the 20th century,
when electricity was still a dream for those living in all but the most
urban and populated areas of the country, several of the major home
lighting / lamp companies sought to widen their markets by moving into
the iron manufacturing business. There was the Coleman Lamp Co. of Wichita, KS.
Another less prolific
but equally determined company was the Brite Lite Co. of Albert Lea, MN,
home of another gas iron producer, American Gas Manufacturing Co.
Brite Lite expanded their line of gas "appliances" to include not just
kerosene silk mantle-style lamps (which by the way look very similar to
Coleman lamps) but also this fuel iron, which they called the "Gem".
Note the way the tailpiece
supporting the fuel tank is part of the casting of
the top of the base and not made from a separate piece of steel
extending out from the underside of the handle stretcher as was the
Coleman design---more stable no doubt but probably also more expensive
to produce. In any case, this is one of the less frequently found
of these types of fuel irons and an interesting part of gas iron
manufacturing history.
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Good ..... $45.00 LCM-GI-A-1
Sun
Mfg. Co. Horizontal Tank Gas Iron
Hailing from South Bend, Indiana the Sun Mfg. Co. promoted their iron as
"The Iron that Sizzles". It has great decorative casting on the
top and a pretty unusual tank design that is cylindrical and horizontal
rather than the typical round ones you see.
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for Pic
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Pic
ML-GI-A-4
Very Good ..... $125.00
Humphrey
No. 2 Natural Gas Iron
This iron was manufactured by the Milwaukee Gas Spec. Co. and sports two
different patents. I imagine one was for the unusual shape and
design of the heat shield. This iron is ready for display.
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ML-GI-A-5
Very Good ..... $55.00
Montgomery
Wards / Coleman? Gas Iron in Original Box
This iron is mint and was apparently never fired up.
It's in the original (though tattered) box and has its original
illustrated instructions. It still sports its original tag which
cautions the buyer about using only approved gasoline and provides lots
of other warnings. After reading all those warnings the person who
originally bought this iron was probably afraid to use it! I would
have been. There is also a pamphlet that lists off all the
hundreds of approved brands of gasoline on a state-by-state basis, with names of
oil and gas companies that must be long since gone. Interesting
enough the pamphlet says it was published for The Coleman Lamp and Stove
Co. which tells me that Coleman probably made the iron for Montgomery
Wards, much like Whirlpool or Frigidaire makes Sears' Kenmore line of
appliances today.
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ML-GI-A-7
Excellent ..... $75.00
Montgomery
Wards Gas Iron This iron is mint and was apparently never fired.
It's in the original box and has its original
illustrated instructions. Not sure who made this one for MW
but it is a neat design with the streamlined tank and pump in the
handle. I have heard the Amish are still using these irons today,
but without electricity and computers I doubt they will be able to find
it here on the www. I don't think Dell is making a pedal power or gas
fired computer yet. Perhaps a more worldly neighbor will let
them know where all the gas irons are. Here!!!
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ML-GI-MWB
Excellent ..... $95.00
Coleman
"Magic" No. 10 Instant Lite Fuel Iron
ML-GI-A-9
Good ..... $75.00
Patented
Monitor Front Fuel Tank Gas Iron
Very Good
..... $75.00
Big
Prairie, WI Monitor
Gas Iron
This Monitor is different from the one above in several different aspects.
The tank is at the rear, the body shape is very different, no heat
shield, and more. It is marked Big Prairie, WI and Patent Pending.
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ML-GI-A-3a
Very Good+ ..... $80.00
The Royal
Front Tank Gas Iron
This is a nice looking iron. Different makers put the tank in
different places trying to find the perfect positioning. I am not
sure up front was the right place, because it kind of gets into your
field of vision, but it does lend a look to these
irons that is interesting. Great condition!!
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ML-GI-R1
Very Good+ ..... $75.00
Rear Tank Gas Iron
with Pump in Handle
This is a nice looking iron. Different makers put the tank in
different places trying to find the perfect positioning. This
maker went a step further and put the pressurizing pump in the handle and
made the tank part of the handle design. Seems like a better
idea, but this is not a common iron and is pretty hard to find.
Great condition!!
Click for Pic
ML-GI-S
Very Good+ ..... $125.00
Colt
Gas Iron
This is a natural gas iron. It is named the Colt, but I do not
know if they had anything to do with the gun company.
Great condition!!
ML-GI-C
Very Good+ ..... $55.00
The
Standard Gas Iron in the Box
This iron is known to collectors as "The Standard". It is one of
the few gas heated irons that has the fuel tank located right smack in
the center rather than off the back end or out the front end. This
example still retains its original box, though it has suffered the
ravages of time and climate. Best of all is the original
instruction sheet that is still in relatively good condition. This
iron deserves a good caretaker to preserve it for future generations of
iron collectors!
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BCM-STANDRD
Good+ ..... $125.00
"The
Jewel" Natural Gas Iron
There were several manufacturers who named their iron "The Jewel".
This is not one I have seen before. It is smaller and more compact
in size than most, and indicates the company was from Massillon, OH.
Click for Pic
BCM-319
Good+ ..... $125.00
"U
Need It"
BCM-320
Good + ..... $95.00
Tailors
Gas Powered Sadiron with Sidetank
This one weighs at least 20 lbs and has a pint size tank
of gas on the side. What a strange concept to be pushing around 20 lbs of
steel with a potential bomb attached to it while ironing somebody else's
clothes. These tailor's irons with auxiliary means of heating them are
pretty uncommon and make a bold statement when on display. They
will not be easily moved when used as a doorstop by anything short of a
hurricane. The wood handle grip looks to be a replacement of the
original.
ML-GTI-1
Good ..... $145.00
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