Posted 7 years ago
RetiredOre…
(7 items)
Heavy metal iron shaped, approx 6" long, 5" wide, 5" deep on outside, has vented channels inside which restrict inset depth. Fishhook shaped swept front on top, appears to be a stop latch for insetting a tool. Rear holes have the rotating cover, appears to be for heat/ flame input.
Found in a thrift store in Oregon 12-13-16 by my wife. Always the truthful husband ( OK, after 40 yrs wedded bliss, she knows BS ), I told her I did not know what it was.
What is it???
Was identified as a sad iron/ coal iron base, by my daughter, a better sleuth than me!
This is the bottom of a "charcoal iron." Burning coals from a stove were put inside to make the heat to iron clothes. There is a top piece which has the handle and a vent-opening/chimney about 1 1/4"-1 1/2" in diameter at the front, which allows the hot gases to escape. The draft, and consequently the amount of heat generated, is controlled by the holes at the back end (just like a wood stove).
Technically, collectors distinguish between sad irons which are solid cast iron and heated on a stove, and hollow irons such as slug irons which have a metal slug which is heated directly in the fire and placed inside the iron, and charcoal irons. The Chinese made charcoal irons out of brass. They look somewhat like a soup dipper with a flat bottom and wooden handle. There is no top; the coals just sit in the open body. Some have decorative designs cast on the sides.
Thanks UncleRon, FYI, the rotating flue door at the back has inscription "PAT" in one circular door, and Letter "A" and numbers "14" over number "88" ??? Best I can tell -on the other door. Looks like some numbers across the bottom base, but unable to tell for sure at this point. I'm really intrigued as it appears to be solid iron, formed without any welds, really smooth metal, so not sand cast?
April 14, 1888 was a Tuesday so that would jibe with the numbers on the piece for patent issue. Definitely cast as one piece. "Sand" casts can be very smooth depending on the material used as the sand. Very fine powder can be used in the mold immediately around the pattern and then the box is filled with regular molding sand. It's more labor intensive and hence not used much today.
A quick Google Patent search didn't turn up anything at that date but maybe the whole iron wasn't being patented - only the draft control; or the date is wrong.