General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

3

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

.1-.3 ALL METAL CONSTRUCTION, SAVE WOODEN HAND GRIP ON.1

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

23.0 cm

Width

9.5 cm

Height

19.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Domestic Technology

Category

Laundry

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

REAL GAS

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Michigan

City

Jackson

Context

Country

North America

State/Province

Unknown

Period

THIS TYPE OF IRON USED C. 1915- MID-1920S, AND POSSIBLY LATER.

Canada

Est. in Toronto in 1848, Consumers' Gas Co. of Toronto manufactured and supplied gas to its customers. In 1908, it opened the first gas appliance store, selling, installing and servicing a variety of appliances. Aggressive promotion and sales campaigns increased the sale of gas appliances. Gas irons similar to this example were part of a cg display at the 1913 CNE: 8,000 irons were sold in June & July alone. (ref.4)

Function

Used to press flat and/or remove wrinkles from fabrics.

Technical

Gas irons were introduced in the 1890s in the USA. Lighter, cleaner and heated more quickly & evenly, they were viewed as an improvement over the heavy sad iron. A flexible hose connected to a gas outlet on the wall supplied gas to the iron: mixed with air, gas burned in a perforated tube inside the iron. (ref. 3) Correction to period of use: this type of iron used 1900 on.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 "THE REAL GAS IRON/ REAL GAS APPLIANCE C[O]./ JACKSON, MICH./ PATENTED. JUNE 9, 1914" printed on plate screwed to handle mounting. "3" incised on gas receptacle..2-.3 no markings visible.

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE.

Finish

MOST SURFACES OF IRON AND TRIVET ARE HEAVILY PITTED, OBSCURING ORIGINAL SILVER METAL FINISH. WOODEN HAND GRIP HAS BEEN PAINTED BLACK. MECHANISM TO SECURE.1 TO IRON BODY IS BRASS-COLOURED.

Decoration

N/A