Or am I mis-seeing something
No, it is a little flame, the "natural gas" logo or symbol of the time.
Seem to recall many natural gas dryers during the 1970's and 1990's had that little symbol. Mother Dear's Whirlpool dryer did IIRC, as did many of the ones saw in family and friend's homes.
The point of the thing I never found out. I mean the persons purchased and whomever installed the dryer surely knew it wasn't electric....