» Home
» Articles
» Picture Gallery
|
Vintage Portal Main >> Articles >> Gadgets
Making it Smooth with Antique Flat Irons
For many years now, the iron has played an integral part in the care of a
family's clothing. One of the very first irons every created was the flat
iron. Cumbersome in nature, the flat iron has since made many changes over
the years.
The antique flat iron was originally invented on June 6, 1882 by a Henry W. Seely. He was a New York native, and knew that he had originated something big when he
created the flat iron. Henry Seely was quick to receive a patent for his
invention. The vintage flat iron was originally called an "electric
flatiron". These flat irons were created from very heavy iron, in order to
ensure that wrinkles were ironed out, and that creases were made. There
was a carbon arc in the flat iron plate, which created the heat.
Ultimately, this was seen as an unsafe method of creating heat.
The popularity of the iron grew among many people, but the carbon arc that was
originally installed, quickly waned. As a replacement for the carbon arc,
electrical resistance was introduced into the irons. This quickly replaced
the unsafe heating elements in the iron, and the sales of the cast iron flat
iron grew even more.
Today, of course, there are more modern irons available. The flat iron bottoms are
still used, however, and the weight is much lighter today than it was years ago.
The invention of the electric flat iron has indeed made great strides in
many households. The evolution of the iron has taken even greater steps.
The original flat irons are seen as antique, rare and vintage. Collectors
of household gadgets can truly appreciate the history and value of such an
iconic household staple.
|
|
|
