Vintage Gold Seal Mangle

[rp2813]

This is up for grabs (AKA free) on Nextdoor classifieds.  I've contacted the poster to ask whether it's in working order.  I have room for it in the basement.

 

Can anyone provide information on it, or are all mangles more or less alike?

 

[combo52]

Kenmore ironer

Hi Ralph, that’s a Kenmore ironer built by whirlpool. It was a very good performing ironer, I had an Ironrite ironer as my first since my brother Jeff was working for the company that was still selling Ironrite ironers in the 70s. I learned to use the Ironrite And enjoyed using it.

I had a Kenmore ironer like the one you just pictured, in the house in West Virginia. I never used it until one rainy weekend. I fired it up and used it, and I was blown away with how much better it was than the Ironrite I gave my Ironrite away and also have a whirlpool in my laundry room here in Maryland that I use occasionally it’s just a much more logical design. If you got room for it you should get it and try it out.

John.

 

[launderess]

Kenmore "Gold Seal" Roll-A- Press Ironer

Sears sold Kenmore ironers through 1950's this as market for the things overall was dying. Changes in lifestyles along with tumble dryer sales increasing meant end of ironing for most part in many households. Weekly must do ironing was largely becoming just men's dress shirts and those could be (and often were) sent out.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166172963459

Also sold in avocado green.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/106083...gold-seal-roll-a-press?show_sold_out_detail=1

"Gold Seal" or not these Kenmore ironers all were sourced from Whirlpool as previously noted.

As with all things Sears one has to look at the Kenmore model number which tells story. Prefix "110" was Whirlpool.

If you get this ironer it looks as if it will scrub up well.

You can either nab a new cover off fleaPay or similar places. That or if good with sewing run up one yourself. Do *NOT* launder roll padding under cloth cover. It's likely knitted cotton padding that will shrink and distort. Once that happens it's basically rubbish.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/222746074581

 

[rp2813]

I had forgotten all about this thread.  I received a reply advising that its operating condition was unknown.  I decided not to take a chance on it, but the info from L. and J. will help if something less iffy comes along.

 

[launderess]

Ironers on whole rarely go out nick, they were pretty robust appliances. Many look like who did it and ran, but plug them in and they usually power right up.

Two main areas that could go wrong is either heating elements or something to do with transmission/drive gear. Easily found out by simply plugging thing in and testing.

Many domestic ironers didn't see heavy use if much at all, especially from post war era until demise. Despite advertising or marketing claims not all households had mountains of ironing to do each week. In many instances the bloom soon wore off and the thing was shoved into a corner, the garage, a barn or whatever and basically forgotten.

Have a vintage Simplex ironer from 1920's or 1930's. Thing sat in a basement of a mid-west home for years after owner died until new homeowners wanted it gone. Thing arrived, plugged in and heated up/roller turned/worked a treat.

 

[rinso]

A few years ago, I rebuilt and rewired a 1960 IronRite rotary iron. It does a great job, especially with napkins, table cloths, and other flat items. It took practice and a video to learn how to iron trousers and shirt. One thing I did notice is that it is no faster than hand ironing. Oh! and there isn't a lot of room for my skinny legs.

 

[launderess]

"One thing I did notice is that it is no faster than hand ironing.."

Have three rotary ironers (two Pfaff and the Simplex) yet often find can do flatwork ironing faster by hand, this especially for large things such as tablecloths and sheets.

Largest ironer rollers are only about 32 to 33 inches. Small flatwork such as twin or maybe matrimonial sized sheets are one thing, queen and king sized are another matter. Table cloths of 60 inches width can be done without center creases if one is careful about it, but it's time consuming. In all cases anything else must be folded into halves or quarters to fit roller. This means ironing in creases (which isn't good for textiles) and or lots of worth as things are sent through multiple times.

Ironrite directions in owners manual or other material tells that larger items will need to be run through several times folded creating creases.



Back in day, say from early part of prior century until maybe 1950's or so there were ironers sold for domestic and commercial use with roller widths up to 48 inches or more. Wider roller width allows for ironing all but the widest sheets or tablecloths either totally flat or with just one center fold.





Many of those early ironers were either heated by gas and wouldn't be allowed via various codes nowadays. Others like their modern cousins require huge electrical service that most homes simply do not have.

 

[launderess]

" It took practice and a video to learn how to iron trousers and shirt."

And how!