Object Details
- Description
- Gasoline-powered, double-point iron with globular fount or reservoir and screw-valve at back attached by metal brackets to the contoured, green-painted wooden handle. Body has ignition opening at back left and ventilation slots and holes below deflector and along bottom edge of both sides; red caution tag tied to handle instructs "Use only clean, colorless gasoline". Comes with rectangular asbestos mat, brass pump (to pressurize the reservoir), and a small paper envelope containing a miniature torch with cotton wick (for lighting the burner), double-ended wrench and small black gasket (purpose unknown). All in the original shipping box with address label from Sears, Roebuck & Co. in Philadelphia, PA to W.W. Betts of Williamsport, PA ("CAROL WORNOM" inscribed [in blue ink] above), "FRAGILE" sticker, and five 3-cent Washington stamps (Scott #720) postmarked Philadelphia on top; large concentric circular mark of box manufacturer printed in blue on one side. No marks on iron or its components. Used condition.
- This iron is identical to the "Laundry Maid" gas iron marketed by Sears, Roebuck & Co. and manufactured by National Stamping & Electric Works, Chicago, IL; marked examples have a manufacturer and model tag affixed to the base of the handle. Shipping carton made by Brunt & Company of Chicago, IL; exact dates in operation not known, but appears to have been founded in the early to mid 1930s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- date made
- ca 1935
- Credit Line
- Gift of Carol W. Sorensen
- Physical Description
- chrome plate (overall material)
- metal, white (reservoir material)
- wood (grip material)
- paint (grip material)
- plastic (screw-valve knob material)
- asbestos (heat mat; padding between handle and deflector material)
- brass (pump tube, torch tube material)
- iron wire (pump handle, torch handle material)
- cotton (torch wick material)
- steel (wrench material)
- rubber (gasket material)
- paper (envelope, instructions material)
- corrogated fiberboard (shipping box material)
- ink (labels, stamps, marks material)
- Measurements
- overall, flatiron: 6 3/8 in x 9 3/8 in x 3 in; 16.1925 cm x 23.8125 cm x 7.62 cm
- overall, syringe: 1 in x 8 1/8 in x 1 7/8 in; 2.54 cm x 20.6375 cm x 4.7625 cm
- overall, flint: 1/4 in x 4 in x 3/4 in; .635 cm x 10.16 cm x 1.905 cm
- overall, wrench: 1/8 in x 3 1/2 in x 1 in; .3175 cm x 8.89 cm x 2.54 cm
- overall, box: 7 3/8 in x 10 7/8 in x 4 5/8 in; 18.7325 cm x 27.6225 cm x 11.7475 cm
- overall, washer: 1/8 in x 5/8 in; .3175 cm x 1.5875 cm
- overall, envelope: 1/2 in x 4 1/4 in x 2 3/8 in; 1.27 cm x 10.795 cm x 6.0325 cm
- overall, stand: 3/8 in x 6 1/2 in x 4 1/8 in; .9525 cm x 16.51 cm x 10.4775 cm
- Object Name
- flatiron
