Meeker's
Mechanical
Nature Antiques
Larry and Carole
Meeker

Purveyors of Americana
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www.AntiqBuyer.com

Contact Us At
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Antique & Vintage
Oriental Pan Irons

Past Sales Archive

This is just a sample of the many antiques & collectibles we have sold.
Click link to see other Past 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Irons pictured without prices represent earlier sales whose sale results are outdated and do not accurately reflect current market values.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.




Meeker's Patented-Antiques.com Antique Sad Iron SalesOriental Pan Iron with Carved Bone Handle  This unusual pan iron is in great condition.  The carved bone or ivory handle depicts petals, flowers, vines, and perhaps a critter or two.  Very nice and very unusual!!

Very Good . . . . . .  $295.00     SOLD!









Patented-Antiques.com Sells Antique Pressing IronsAsian Pan Iron with Carved Ivory / Bone Handle  A really nice example with an unusual handle design.

Very Good . . . . . .  $150.00     SOLD!











Patented Antiques.com Sells Antique IronsOriental /Asian Pan Iron / Silk Iron with Jade / Stone Handle Knob   Check out the design / decorations on the sides of this nice iron.  A beautiful form!!

Fine. . . . . .   SOLD!







Patented-Antiques.com Sells Antique IronsUnusual Square Asian Pan / Silk Iron  The is really different.  I have never had or seen a pan iron in this shape.  Nor have I ever seen a wooden insert like this one has.  I assume the purpose was to put a cap over it to keep the heat in.  Be sure to look at all the pictures.  Note that the wooden block is decorated and shows some burn areas.  Guaranteed to be original and period.  Highly recommend!!   

Good . . . . . .  SOLD!





Oriental Pan Iron3 Figural Handle Bronze Pan Irons  All three of these pan irons are really neat with figural hand / fist shaped handles.  Figural handle pan irons are especially interesting and hard to come by.  The two smaller ones are marked "China".  My understanding of how things like this were marked is that this would date it post 1890.  Be sure to look at all the pictures to see the decorative casting---geometric shaped, the 8 Immortals, and flowers.  Highly recommend!

Good . . . . .  SOLD







Chinese 
Pan IronChinese Pan Iron  This pan iron is all bronze and has a beautiful figural handle shaped like a woman's head.  Highly recommended!

Good . . . . .  SOLD







www.Patented-Antiques.com Antique Sad & Pressing Iron Sales2 Buddha Head / Goddess Head Oriental Pan Irons  Nicely cast handles.  Both bodies have a different story cast into them.  Different and nice!

Good + . . . . . .  SOLD!






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.



Oriental Pan Iron Pressing IronOriental 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.

Very Good     SOLD!







Antique Oriental Pan IronOriental 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!

Very Good      SOLD!







Oriental / Chinese Pan IronOriental 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.

Very Good      SOLD!







Chinese Pan IronRed 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!

Very Good      SOLD!







Oriental Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good     SOLD!






Oriental Pan IronCast 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. 

Very Good     SOLD!






Oriental Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good     SOLD!







Oriental Pan IronOriental 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.

Very Good     SOLD!




Antique Chinese Pan IronLarge 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. 

Very Good      SOLD!





Antique Chinese Pan IronOriental Pan Iron  This large pan iron has no handle.  Note the open cut out decorative top edge, an unusual feature. 

Very Good     SOLD!






Antique Oriental Pan IronOriental Pan Iron  This one has a small stubby wooden handle.  The body is decorated with finely cast geometric Chinese characters. 

Very Good     SOLD!






Antique Oriental Pan IronOriental 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!






Antique Oriental Pan IronOriental 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!








Antique Chinese Charcoal / Pan IronOriental 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!






Antique Chinese Pan IronOriental 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. 

Good      SOLD!





Antique Pan IronOriental 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!






Antique Oriental  Charcaol  Pan IronOriental 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.

Very Good      SOLD!





Antiique Pan IronOriental 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!






Antique Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good      SOLD!





Antique Figural Oriental Pan IronFigrual 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.

Very Good      SOLD!






ANtique Oriental / Chinese Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good      SOLD!







Oriental Pan IronOriental 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!






Antique Oriental Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good      SOLD!





Oriental Pan IronOriental 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 Pan IronOriental 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.

Very Good      SOLD!







Oriental Pan IronOriental 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 IronSmall 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 IronOriental 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. 

Very Good      SOLD!







Oriental Pan IronOriental 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!






Chinese Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good      SOLD!






Oriental Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good     SOLD!








Oriental Pan IronOriental 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 IronOriental 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!






Ivory Handle Oriental Pan IronOriental 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!

Very Good      SOLD!






Oriental Pan Iron w/ Carved Ivory HandleOriental 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!

Very Good      SOLD!







Oriental Ivory Buddha Pan Iron 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!

Very Good      SOLD!





Oriental Pan Iron w/ Carved Bone HandleOriental 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!

Very Good      SOLD!




Oriental Pan Iron w/ Ivory Walrus Head HandleOriental 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.

Very Good      SOLD!





Ivory Handled Oriental Pan IronOriental 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. 

Very Good      SOLD!




Ivory Handle Chinese  Pan IronOriental 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!

Very Good     SOLD!





www.Patented-Antiques.com Antique Sad & Pressing Iron SalesFigural Oriental Pan Iron  Not sure who the old guy is meant to represent, but it is a nice carving.   Different and nice!

Good + . . . . . .  SOLD!



BACK to Ironing Archive

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