This is just a sample of the many
antique Irons we have sold.
Click link to see other
Sales Archive Pages on this Site.
We Buy Quality Antiques Contact Us at AntiqBuyer@gmail.com
Special Note Concerning
Iron Prices: Sad Irons / Pressing Irons Prices are evolving:
After 20 years of steady increases in values,
which culminated in a bubble burst, iron prices have now settled back to levels of the past.
Prices seen reflect actual recent sale results from this website or a general price that is more in line w/ today's market.
Irons
pictured without prices represent earlier sales whose sale results are outdated and do not accurately reflect current market values.
Ebay results closely reflect current market values for many sad irons. Check eBay completed / SOLD results to see current values for
many antique irons.
Our current offering of Antiques for sale are at our sister Website Patented-Antiques.com.
Revolving Alcohol
Fuel
Iron This two face revolving iron
is unmarked as to maker, but the back end is stamped "Pat Mar 5 1885".
Utilizing the principle that heat rises, the idea was that the top face
would be heating while the bottom face was being used. As the bottom
cooled down the iron would be rotated around so the warmer top face could
then be used. I could never figure out how you were supposed to
accomplish the task of rotating a hot iron without using your hands to help
in the process.The fuel tank is original and quite different in design from other irons of this type, this one being shaped like a half-round cylinder with an attached heat shield. The metal heat shield is lined with a thin layer of wood as an insulator, OSHA-approved no doubt, and probably devised after an unfortunate mishap during the development. period.
This iron is in great condition and looks to have seen little use. In fact the wick in the tank looks like it never saw a flame. Note the little tin cap that fits over the end of the wick. I imagine the purpose was to snuff out the flame and, by covering the wick, to reduce alcohol evaporation when not in use, an added feature I don't remember ever having seen before. The knob that would have been at the top of the lever release is missing, but a replacement could be fabricated pretty easily. Highly recommend!!
Very Good . . . . . . $1295.00 SOLD!
Jewel
Natural Gas Iron This is a rare iron and one
we have never had before. The built-in wire trivet / side shield is
unique and probably deserved a patent if you could figure out what it's
function actually was. It is marked in bold casting under the heat shield
"JEWEL DIAMOND HDW. MFG. CO. PITTSBURG, PA". Rare and
distinctive---highly recommend!! Very Good . . . . . . $1895.00 SOLD!
Hood
Patent Soapstone Polishing Iron This is the
small double point shaped polisher version of this iron. The larger spade shape
Hood's soapstone irons came
in several different sizes, but this style was just offered in this one size, and is much
harder to find. The name and the 1867 patent date are cast into the sides of
the handle. A soapstone body with cast iron sole and handle---truely a
unique idea!!
Very Good . . . . . . $275.00 SOLD!
Revolving
Liquid Fuel Pressing Iron This is an
early liquid fuel iron from the pre-petroleum era. Cutting edge technology
for the time. Whale oil was most likely the fuel used. The tank is
original and the latch works. It is in overall very nice condition. Can
you imagine needing your clothes to be pressed before heading off to work or
play back in the 1830's and using this iron? Very Good . . . . . . $795.00 SOLD!
Whale
Oil Fired Revolving Iron This is a variation
we have never had before. The only marking is on the cap of the fuel
tank where it is marked with the letters "M M" and then an "A"within a diamond,
and then "Co". We are not sure what that
refers to. Unlike most revolving fuel irons the tank is located on the
front, not the back, of this example. And because the design
incorporates it into the handle the tank revolves along with the handle,
rather than being stationary to the body as is the case with most other
revolving gas irons. To revolve the iron you release the rear lever to
unlock it, then you turn the base 180 degrees, I imagine hoping that the
fuel tank doesn't come loose and praying that you don't burn yourself in the
process. Now that's a better idea! Highly recommend!!
Very Good . . . . . . $1995.00 SOLD!
Revolving
/ Rotating Natural Gas Iron
I've had this iron once or twice in the past, and my
research indicated it was manufactured by the Comfort Gas Appliance Mfg. Co
of Boston, Massachusetts. I don't see any markings on this
example. Inside the iron body is a perforated tube within which the mixture of air
and gas would burn. A waffle patterned gridwork of metal provided the
screening to prevent the waste products of combustion and the flame from
shooting outward. What is unusual about this natural gas iron is its
ability to revolve, a feature that allowed for both the top and bottom surfaces of the iron
body to be used so that the iron could be turned over when the bottom face
had cooled. Given the fact that heat rises, the top face of the body would
constantly be heated as the bottom face was being used and cooling. In
theory anyway! A
spring loaded latching mechanism was attached to the handle to provide for
the locking and unlocking of the body. This example is in
excellent condition with a rich dark patina!!Very Good . . . . . . $895.00 SOLD!
Scottish Box Iron with Slug
Scottish box irons are elegant designs
utilizing interesting combinations of materials and shapes. Showcasing
the talents of the individual craftsman, it has been said that no two
examples of these irons are exactly alike. This beautiful box iron is
just over 6 inches in length. It has ornate S-shaped brass uprights
and a turned wooden grip that is capped with brass ends. I believe
both parts of the base are cast iron with the lid being highly polished and
finished. The swinging latch secures the clasp. The slug is also
a highly individualized and custom fitted shape. These irons have
settled out in price in recent years, and the price of this example reflects
their current market value. A great opportunity to add one of these to
your iron collection if you were unable to do that when they were selling
for two to three times this amount!! Very Good . . . . . . $600.00 SOLD!
Allie Maillard Conformateur Millinery Hat
Sizing / Measuring Machine
This unusual
device dates from the 19th century when hat making was evolving into an art
form and hat makers needed tools designed to help them in their endeavors.
It has a great look and will be a welcome addition to many collections, or
from what I have seen put back into use making one of those new custom hats
that are so popular. The overall condition is nice and it
is operational noting one missing pin, a few glued pins, and some minor damage
to the tips of a few others. (see pics) There are sites on the internet that have lots of historical info on these Hatter's Hat Making Tools, and lots of examples show up with a Google image search. There is even a site that deals with restorations of them. Nice!!
Good . . . . . $895.00 SOLD!
French
Stirrup Handle Swing Gate Box Iron
European stirrup handle irons with spring loaded rear gates are one of
the rarest and hardest to find of all design box irons. This one has a
tree legged front handle support and a U shaped rear. There is
some bug damage to the original handle, but it is solid. A nice
iron!!
Good . . . . . SOLD
French
Stirrup Handle Swing Gate Box Iron European stirrup handle irons with spring loaded
rear gates are one of the rarest and hardest to find of all design box irons.
I imagine the idea was developed because single post designs had a tendency
to work loose over time, and a design like this with multiple attachment points
would hold up much better and be much more stable. The iron body itself
is a multiple piece design riveted and pinned together along with signs of brazing
at the seams. The door pops open as it should when the trigger is pulled
under the handle, which has great form as well. All in all a nice iron
in nice condition!
Good . . . . . SOLD
Round
Nose Iron Double Stirrup Handle Spring Loaded Gate Box Iron
European stirrup handle irons with spring loaded rear gates are one those types
of iron that you typically find only in long-time collections. This one
has a round nose design and the handles attach in two places for added stability.
The rear door is spring loaded and pops open when the lever is pressed or pulled
back. A classic and beautifully balance form!
Good . . . . . SOLD
Decorated
Brass Swing Gate Iron This is a very nicely done iron. It shows a high degree of workmanship
and skill in all of its features. Note the decorated and stepped edges
at the top and bottom of the body. It has an almost decorative beaded
base. The top is engraved and the handle posts end in what look like crescent
moon shapes. A gorgeous piece!
Good . . . . . SOLD
Primitive
Decorated Drop-in-the-Back Box Iron Note the elongated toe extending past the round nose in this iron. Also
note the decorative front handle post at the attachment point and the fine file
work that went into creating that. The standards have outward sweeps to
allow for a larger handle and those posts both show a nice degree of workmanship
and pride in its making. An unusual form and a nice early iron!
Good . . . . . SOLD
"Monkey
Tail" Lift Gate Box Iron
This iron predates the time of mass production, or at a minimum was made in
an area where new technologies had not yet appeared. The maker added a
couple of nice design elements to the iron. Note the monkey tail, or rat
tail, design to the lift gate. And note the decorative edge along the
top of the gate. He had to turn this piece of metal, and then he filed
in a a fancy design. The standards for the handle are very nice as well.
In addition to having the kicked-out feature to accept a longer handle, they
have a nice transition form and a lot of file work was done on them as well.
The latch hold-up mechanism is very unique as well. A nice early
iron!
Good . . . . . SOLD
Round
Back Iron Lift Gate Box Iron
The collector's tag identifies this as being Danish and dating from the early
19th century. It has a very nice handle and the half loop handle standards
are a nice decorative touch. It is a three piece slab construction as
opposed to being cast, and there are a lot of detailed pins and rivets and work
that went into forming this early iron. The round back feature is an unusual
design element not seen very often, and the interior of the body has a thick
raised S-shaped to hold the slug up from the bottom. An unusual iron!
Good . . . . . SOLD
"Best
Yet" Tank in the Handle Gas Iron / California Patent There
are only a few of these unusual gas irons known. Each one a bit
different from the other, either in design, or in how they are marked.
At one point the location is given as Oakland CA and on another the
location is a town that no longer exists and was near Oakland. A nice early iron!
"The Best Yet!!"Good . . . . . SOLD
"Alcomatic"
Dual Burner Liquid Fuel Iron
We have only had or seen this iron a few times.
The last one we sold brought something over $1500 on eBay about a year ago.
We had offered it to a couple of iron collectors for less than half that.
They passed, and then one of them ended up as the buyer on eBay for the new higher price.
Go figure!It is from Hamilton, Ohio and has a patent from the 20's. The name and other info can be found on the plaque under the handle attached to the heat shield. It is still readable. I assume from the name that alcohol was the fuel of choice. I suppose the designer figured that one single burner was not up to the task and so incorporated a second one to make sure things got really hot. I think though that by the time he got it into production electricity was well on its way to becoming the "fuel" of choice when doing the ironing. A pretty rare iron in pretty nice condition!
Good +. . . . . . SOLD!
Scottish Box Iron
This Scottish Box Iron is an interesting combination of styles, shapes
and materials. The design of this unique box iron is based primarily on different
castings. Some other Scottish irons designs are more focused on machining
and turned parts like the handle standards.
It has been said that no two of these irons are exactly alike, and some examples rise to levels
of a work of art. The body on this example is a very nice casting. Note the ribs inside the body and the top. The top is an exact fit. The slug is original and a good fit as well. The iron swing lock on top fits like a glove. The handle uprights are a graceful and graphic double S one small, one large with a nice base. The wood handle is nice as well.
Scottish Box Irons are by nature exquisitely designed and detailed, and this one is no exception. The story behind most Scottish Box Irons is that they were hand-built as projects by an apprentice machinist or trades person about to enter the world as a journeyman craftsperson. Different examples show different levels of craftsmanship, and / or different focuses on different techniques or skills associated with different trades. It is also said that these were made by admirers to give to their prospective bride as an expression of their love as well as their skill. The construction of this iron is second to none and the workmanship is superb. That tradition can carry over today when you present this to your beloved as a token of your love and admiration
A super nice iron that will be a highlight of most any collection and might just inspire the receiver to iron more of your clothes!
Good +. . . . . . SOLD!
Scottish Box Iron
This Scottish Box Iron is an interesting combination of styles, shapes
and materials. The body on this
example is a very nice casting. The top is an exact fit. The brass lock on top is a design I have not seen before. Typically these are designed
where the entire plate swings out of the way to unlock the top. Here the brass
plate "splits" apart. The uprights are a bit different from the norm as well.
They are a simple design of cast brass with feet at the bottom and a cast eye at the top for the
handle. The wood handle is nice as well.This iron is truly a work of art as much as a utilitarian object, and explains why this style iron was often given as a gift from a man to his beloved. The construction of this iron is second to none and the workmanship is superb.
A nice iron that will be a highlight of most any collection! Or make the perfect gift to your beloved!! Very Nice!!
Good +. . . . . . SOLD!
Strap
Handle European Round Back Box Iron This is a very classy looking iron with
its unusual round back design and high loop strap handle. A great iron!
Good + . . . . . . SOLD!
Unusual
Iron Swing Gate Box Iron
This early
iron has nicely formed uprights, and a nice design "turn key" lock on the back
door. The interesting part is that typically the door is hinged
on the opposite side---this one would swing open toward rather than away from
the right handed ironer. I can't recall ever seeing another that opened
in this direction. Perhaps specially made for a left-handed person????
Good . . . . . . . SOLD!
Scottish Box Iron w/ Naval Theme on Trivet
This is a super example at an unheard of price!! Good + . . . . . . SOLD!
Salesman Sample / Miniature Hatters Iron
This rare little iron is marked M. S. Drake Newark NJ. He held a few
patents related to irons. This exact iron is pictured in one
Politzer's books and is the only one known. Very
nice!!
Fine. . . . . . SOLD!
Salesman Sample / Miniature Box Iron
This little iron is also pictured in one of Politzer's books. It
came out of a collection in Oregon of miniature and small irons.
It was one of the highlights of a very small but very nice collection of
irons. That fellow had taste, and a good eye. Very
nice!!
Fine. . . . . . SOLD!
Haven "Crows Eating Corn" Tailor's Iron
This is a rare iron with a figural handle. It's tailor's size,
so it's big and bold. Rarely found except in top notch collections---a super piece!
Good + . . . . . . SOLD!
"Pacific Peerless" Patents Pend by Sunset Distributing Co. San Francisco Liquid Fuel Gas Iron
This
is a rare and previously unknown iron. It is not pictured in any of the
references we have. The body design resembles a steam locomotive, with the
elongated cylinder shape fuel tank mounted on top of the base. A similar
liquid fuel iron, with obvious manufacturing similarities, was offered in the
Howard pressing iron collection sold by Greg Martin Auctions some years ago. The handle
design and the round brass tank were the same. The body design was very
different, and the maker marks were a continent apart. This one has mica
viewing windows and is marked on the back of the tank
"Pacific Peerless Patents Pend Sunset Distributing Co. San Francisco".
The one from
the Martin auction was
marked "NY Flatiron Co." California irons from this early time period are
extremely rare. Highly recommend!! Very Good . . . . . SOLD!
Hinged
Handle Narrow Seam Iron This is an extremely
rare iron. Examples are few and far between. To put it in perspective this is only the second time I have
ever had this iron to offer for sale. The first and only other time was 13 years ago,
and it was this very iron, and I sold it to Carol Walker. The person
who bought it several years later at the Carol Walker auction was so impressed with it that he
didn't sell it when Simmons auctioned the major part of his collection several
years later. But now the time has come for it to be offered on the market
again. This must have been an expensive iron to produce due to the complex design of the "swing-away handle", a design that allowed the grip to remain out of the way and cool while the body was being heated. Coupled with this was the limited market to whom it would have appealed. How many folks would have needed or been willing to purchase a separate, additional, special use iron just to press their seams? I mean really! One of but a few known---highly recommend!!
Very Good . . . . . . $1750.00 SOLD!
Standard
Gas Iron with
Cast Iron Fuel Tank This rare and unusual gas iron
hails from Mansfield, Ohio. The front-mounted fuel tank is odd and unique,
both in its shape and in the way it is configured into the handle design.
What is most unusual is that, unlike the materials that were typically used
to construct the fuel tanks on irons of this time period, this tank is made
of cast iron. This is one of only a few examples of this iron known. The heat shield
has the company name and location on it. (It has come detached at one end.)This is an unusual iron by a little known manufacturer---Rare!!
Good . . . . . . $1295.00 SOLD!
Beyond Rare Patented
Lamp-Heated Pressing Iron According to
Esther Berney the patent for this
extremely rare iron was granted to James Jenkinson of Williamsburg, NY on
December 7, 1869 as patent number 97,515. Shaped like a shoe, and
with a cylindrical hollow interior, it was designed to be heated on top of a
kerosene lamp. Ingenious, inventive, imaginative! But probably
not really practical. The circular opening at the back of the
iron perfectly accommodates the size and shape of the lamp burner and flame,
and elegantly transitions into the shape of the flattened sole. The
round holes in the toe function as a chimney to vent the gases and smoke.There is apparently a lot more research to be done to learn about this iron. The markings on it are unclear but appear to read "PATD 1884" and "CAP.T A. CHAGNON" or perhaps it's "CHACEON", which may relate to a subsequent patent application or improvement in design. In fact, this iron may never have gone into widespread production as the only ones I'm aware of are the one illustrated in the Berney book, another pictured in More Irons by Irons, and one other in a private collection.
This is one of those irons that comes along if you are lucky maybe once in a lifetime. Museum quality---highly recommend!!
Very Good . . . . . . $2495.00 includes the lamp SOLD!
Bet Yet California Gas Iron This
rare gas iron by the Best Yet Mfg. Co. is marked with a location of Elmhurst, CA. Elmhurst was a small town in the
Bay Area that later became part of Oakland. This unusual design iron
has been found marked with either location. This one is marked "Pat Applied For"
while some later ones carry a patent date. The crescent shaped fuel tank,
which is under the handle, is
cast iron. This example is in overall nice condition noting that there
are some spots of light pitting /
corrosion on the base, and that the tail ends of the wing nut are broken off.
A great design and very RARE!!
Very Good . . . . . . $2495.00 SOLD!
Rare Egyptian
Fez / Hat Iron Known as a Tarboosh
or Fez iron this is an extremely rare
Egyptian hat iron. It is a two-piece ironing implement that would have
been heated on a hot stove and employed to reshape and press the "flower
pot" shaped head covering called "tarboosh" in Egypt and "fez" elsewhere in
the Islamic world. It was used by placing the felt fez over the form
on the left, and then pulling the top half with handles down over the felt hat to perfectly smooth
and shape it.With Westernization the wearing of this traditional headgear fell out of favor and into disuse, and most of these heavy blocking irons were melted down for the metal. This surviving brass example is 8" high. The base is 9 inches wide and 21" across including the handles. It weighs 35 pounds! We have never had another of these, nor do we remember ever seeing one offered for sale. Highly recommend!!
Very Good . . . . . . $1295.00 SOLD!
Primitive Antique Blacksmith Made Iron
You shouldn't skip past this one, thinking it's just another of those primitive
one-piece irons. This is like a Porsche compared to a Volkswagen. It is
really a super piece.This is a very unusual and handsomely designed blacksmith-made iron. Like others of this style the body and handle are made from a single piece of iron. But what makes it so special is the finely detailed filework that decorates the handle grip. Be sure to look at all the pictures so you can see the close-ups---this is a truly beautiful example. Great form and one-of-a-kind!
Very Good . . . . . . $225.00 SOLD!
This is just a sample of the many
antiques & collectibles we have sold.
Click link to see other
Sales Archive Pages on this Site.
We Buy Quality Antiques Contact Us at AntiqBuyer@gmail.com
Our current offering of Antiques for sale are at our sister Website Patented-Antiques.com.
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Larry & Carole Meeker