Iron

Object Name:

Iron

Object ID:

1993.027.15

Date:

1870-1880

Description:

Iron, Mrs. Mary Potts. Steel and wood. Two-piece base. Bottom portion is flat on bottom with one end turned up slightly. Oval-shaped, pointed at both ends. Handle attachment plate; held in place with two round-head screws. Two roughly square holes in center of plate between two curved, elevated sheets. Two small dimples at front; two more at back of plate. Plate acts as attachment and alignment method to keep handle in place and steady. Semi-circular wooden handle, almost round in cross-section, diameter 0.5". It sits in cast sockets, part of attachment locking mechanism. Two flathead screws hold handle from bottom of plate. At one end is long rectangular sheet-metal spring-like device that is between end of handle and base. It holds small wood handle, riveted to one half of locking mechanism. Second half of this mechanism is rounded, flat-angled cast finger that protrudes downward. Movable portion is pulled upward by small handle; assembly is lowered onto attachment plate of base. Movable finger then engages one side of central bar in plate that is between two square holes. Fixed finger attaches other side of bar. Flat spring then holds movable finger down in locked position. In handle plate are central cast keyway-shaped hole and small rectangular hole for passage of moving parts. Central, slightly rounded bulge. Some raised edges on top surface of plate to conform to its shape. Top plate is screwed to hollow bottom, pointed at both ends. Probably goes with trivet 1993.27.16.3.

Material:

Metal
Wood
Steel

Dimensions:

H-2.6 L-3.7 D-1.9 inches

Provenance:

Items from the estate of Charlotte Ruth who was a volunteer at NHHS. The items were owned by Mrs. Ruth and her husband Lawrence E. Ruth, who lived at 14 Wall St., Concord, NH.

Mrs. Mary Potts of Ottumwa, Iowa, patented the removable handle sad iron in 1871. The iron was widely manufactured in the United States and Europe.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase

People:

Ruth, Lawrence, Ruth, Charlotte, Potts, Mary

Subjects:

Irons (Pressing)