History of the Iron

12th Century

Dec 12, 1200

It was found out by the Chinese that it was easier to smooth out clothes if a metal were heated up. So they would place glowing coals in a pan and while one person would keep the clothes straight the other would go over it with the pan and it would smooth it out.

1701

Dec 12, 1701

The first iron wasn't really meant to be heated up you just had to apply pressure. It was more of a hand sized stone with a handle on it. And water may have been applied to dampen linen for it to be easier to smooth out. http://www.oldandinteresting.com/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx

1701

Dec 12, 1701

It wasn't really meant to be heated up you just had to apply pressure. It was more of a hand sized stone with a handle on it. And water may have been applied to dampen linen for it to be easier to smooth out.

1803

Dec 12, 1803

The box mangle was a heavy box weighted with stones functioning as the "mangle board", with linen wound on cylinders underneath, or spread under the rollers. The boards/bats used for smoothing were similar to wooden implements used in washing: washing beetles used to beat clothes clean, perhaps in a stream.

1803

Dec 12, 1803

The box mangle was a heavy box weighted with stones functioning as the "mangle board", with linen wound on cylinders underneath, or spread under the rollers. The boards/bats used for smoothing were similar to wooden implements used in washing: washing beetles used to beat clothes clean, perhaps in a stream.

1830

Dec 12, 1830

Blacksmith started to forge simple flat irons that you would have to heat the bottom of it with a fire or stove and would stay hot for a short period of time. https://santeehistoricalsociety.org/history-of-ironing/

1830

Dec 12, 1830

Blacksmith started to forge simple flat irons that you would have to heat the bottom of it with a fire or stove and would stay hot for a short period of time, which wasn't that efficient. http://www.oldandinteresting.com/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx

1850

Dec 12, 1850

If you make the base of your iron into a container you can put glowing coals inside it and keep it hot a bit longer. Notice the hinged lid and the air holes to allow the charcoal to keep smouldering. These are sometimes called ironing boxes, or charcoal box irons, and may come with their own stand.http://www.objectlessons.org/houses-and-homes-victorians/box-iron--slug-victorian-original/s59/a962/

1850

Dec 12, 1850

If you make the base of your iron into a container you can put glowing coals inside it and keep it hot a bit longer. Notice the hinged lid and the air holes to allow the charcoal to keep smouldering. These are sometimes called ironing boxes, or charcoal box irons, and may come with their own stand.

1855-Present

Jun 6, 1855

A clothes iron, when heated, is used to press clothes to remove creases.An "electric flat iron" was invented by US inventor Henry W. Seeley and patented on June 6, 1882.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothes_iron