retromania
Well-known member
Bill
I have never seen a Hoover travel iron! It's mint. What a little prize you have there!!!
I have never seen a Hoover travel iron! It's mint. What a little prize you have there!!!
Vintage Steams Irons
- Thread starter retromania
- Start date
retromania
Well-known member
Bill
In your most recent photo of the three irons, that GE on the far right is a model I have never seen before. Neat. What that's appliance that's partially in view to the right of that third iron?
In your most recent photo of the three irons, that GE on the far right is a model I have never seen before. Neat. What that's appliance that's partially in view to the right of that third iron?
Westinghouse..
Cook-N-Fryer model FF-531
Not sure what year it is, but it works great.
Cook-N-Fryer model FF-531
Not sure what year it is, but it works great.
retromania
Well-known member
Bill
Now I am really jealous. Look at that cook Westinghouse deep fryer!!!!! Man is that pretty! All your appliances I have seen so far look new. Wow. What a collection. I am impressed. Thanks for sharing.
Now I am really jealous. Look at that cook Westinghouse deep fryer!!!!! Man is that pretty! All your appliances I have seen so far look new. Wow. What a collection. I am impressed. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Andy
I have a lot more, but we would be here for some time!
Bill
I have a lot more, but we would be here for some time!
Bill
Another Steam-O-Matic...
This was in the box with the iron
This was in the box with the iron
appliguy
Well-known member
It may not be a Steam Iron but.....
It is the most unique iron design GE ever made....Presenting the 1958 GE Visualizer Iron....PAT COFFEY
It is the most unique iron design GE ever made....Presenting the 1958 GE Visualizer Iron....PAT COFFEY
Neat style
You're right Pat, that is a cool iron!
I recently found one, but it hasn't had it's "spa treatment" yet.
You're right Pat, that is a cool iron!
I recently found one, but it hasn't had it's "spa treatment" yet.
Butterscotch Hoover...
One of my favorite flavours...
One of my favorite flavours...
retromania
Well-known member
Pat
That's one of the coolest sleekest looking GE irons I've ever seen. A dry iron no doubt! Sort of a no fuss iron!!
That's one of the coolest sleekest looking GE irons I've ever seen. A dry iron no doubt! Sort of a no fuss iron!!
retromania
Well-known member
Bill
Love that Hoover iron and love the color. I wonder why Hoover wasn't pushed in stores around here. Maybe it was and I just wasn't aware of it. Around here, Sunbeam was number one. GE was number two. There were some Hamilton Beach irons, but no hoovers that I can recall.
Love that Hoover iron and love the color. I wonder why Hoover wasn't pushed in stores around here. Maybe it was and I just wasn't aware of it. Around here, Sunbeam was number one. GE was number two. There were some Hamilton Beach irons, but no hoovers that I can recall.
retromania
Well-known member
Bill
That steam-O-Matic is funky!!! The way you fill it with water. Someone had fun creating these new designs.
That steam-O-Matic is funky!!! The way you fill it with water. Someone had fun creating these new designs.
waterwitch
Well-known member
Your best bet is to find them on ebay and thrift stores, that's what I do. I have a bunch of cloth cords. Let me know if you need one still.
retromania
Well-known member
Anthony,
I'm scared of that!!! That one goes way back! Pray tell, does it work?
I'm scared of that!!! That one goes way back! Pray tell, does it work?
launderess
Well-known member
Distribution Of Steam Vents
Once appliance makers started to nail down how to produce decent steam within an iron, next came an almost arms race of vents in soleplates.
Steam irons were advertised by the amount of vents as one supposes the theory went it provided more moisture for better ironing. However if one examines many commercial irons today their soleplates often resemble the "Steam-O_Matic" advert shown above. Either a small array of vents usually around the outer edge of the iron, or one central one at the head. Theory behind this design is that powerful steam dampens the fabric whilst the heat from the soleplate smoothes, dries and fixes the results.
Intersting tidbit about weight and electric irons:
Coming from using "sad irons" made from cast iron both most assumed electric irons had to be heavy in order to give good results. However research by Proctor (later Proctor-Silex) showed that long as the iron had proper heating power (around 1000 watts) heavy weight wasn't necessary, especially with a good supply of steam.
Of course there is lightweight and there is heavy. Housewives and others doing ironing varied as to their preference. Hard to believe but there are still professional ironers in France (and one assumes elsewhere) that are using sad irons heated on stoves.
Find for heavy linen and or cotton an iron around four to five pounds is good. Three or so is ok for lightweight things such as cotton dress shirts and so forth. It also depends how much ironing one is going to do at a go. Good results or not dragging a five or six pound iron back and forth for several hours of ironing is just plain hard work.
Once appliance makers started to nail down how to produce decent steam within an iron, next came an almost arms race of vents in soleplates.
Steam irons were advertised by the amount of vents as one supposes the theory went it provided more moisture for better ironing. However if one examines many commercial irons today their soleplates often resemble the "Steam-O_Matic" advert shown above. Either a small array of vents usually around the outer edge of the iron, or one central one at the head. Theory behind this design is that powerful steam dampens the fabric whilst the heat from the soleplate smoothes, dries and fixes the results.
Intersting tidbit about weight and electric irons:
Coming from using "sad irons" made from cast iron both most assumed electric irons had to be heavy in order to give good results. However research by Proctor (later Proctor-Silex) showed that long as the iron had proper heating power (around 1000 watts) heavy weight wasn't necessary, especially with a good supply of steam.
Of course there is lightweight and there is heavy. Housewives and others doing ironing varied as to their preference. Hard to believe but there are still professional ironers in France (and one assumes elsewhere) that are using sad irons heated on stoves.
Find for heavy linen and or cotton an iron around four to five pounds is good. Three or so is ok for lightweight things such as cotton dress shirts and so forth. It also depends how much ironing one is going to do at a go. Good results or not dragging a five or six pound iron back and forth for several hours of ironing is just plain hard work.
retromania
Well-known member
Pat's Iron
I'm still gazing at Pat's 1958 GE Visualizer!! Sho is pretty!!
I'm still gazing at Pat's 1958 GE Visualizer!! Sho is pretty!!
launderess
Well-known member
Vintage Open Handled Irons
GE wasn't the only one to use that design. Sunbeam amoung maybe a few others offered open handled irons back in the day.
Indeed you can say when it comes to steam irons everything old is new again. Gravity steam irons (bottle filled with water suspended above the iron) were offered back in the day, and of course Presto had early versions of steam boiler irons.
GE wasn't the only one to use that design. Sunbeam amoung maybe a few others offered open handled irons back in the day.
Indeed you can say when it comes to steam irons everything old is new again. Gravity steam irons (bottle filled with water suspended above the iron) were offered back in the day, and of course Presto had early versions of steam boiler irons.
retromania
Well-known member
Yes
Launderess is correct. GE was not the only manufacturer of the open handle iron. The GE that I have a crush on that Pat Coffee posted is an excellent example of one and with it's unique placement of the controls. I wonder if any of these old irons won any design awards or if there was such a thing then. Maybe within the company that manufactured the appliance. Does anyone care to comment on this?
Launderess is correct. GE was not the only manufacturer of the open handle iron. The GE that I have a crush on that Pat Coffee posted is an excellent example of one and with it's unique placement of the controls. I wonder if any of these old irons won any design awards or if there was such a thing then. Maybe within the company that manufactured the appliance. Does anyone care to comment on this?
appliguy
Well-known member
GE wasn't the only one to use that design
Thats right Westinghouse had both a dry and steam and dry iron with the open handle in the Fifties and I have (both versions) through the early 60's and so did Sunbeam both in dry and gravity steam forms ( I have both versions of this as well) and the Sunbeam design is the most phallic design known to man as far as steam irons go LOL I will post pictures of mine in about an hour or so....PAT COFFEY
Thats right Westinghouse had both a dry and steam and dry iron with the open handle in the Fifties and I have (both versions) through the early 60's and so did Sunbeam both in dry and gravity steam forms ( I have both versions of this as well) and the Sunbeam design is the most phallic design known to man as far as steam irons go LOL I will post pictures of mine in about an hour or so....PAT COFFEY
retromania
Well-known member
Yaaaay!
Can't wait!!!!!!!
Thanks Pat!
Can't wait!!!!!!!
Thanks Pat!
launderess
Well-known member
Within reason all steam irons did the same job, some better than others but most got the job done. Also as we can see from the vast offerings at estate sales, thrifts, FleaPay etc... they tended to last the duration especially if properly cared for, so the question then becomes how to get Madame to purchase new?
Appliance makers have been onto gimmicks ever since wide spread electric use came to homes and the era of modern appliances began. Stream Lining was the first big craze and things seemed to pile up from there.
There were big irons, small irons, heavy irons, light irons, travel irons, compact irons, irons with more surface area, and so forth.
You notice that once irons started making their own steam internally without separate water tanks they began to grow in size. Compare a Westinghouse or Proctor steam iron from say the 1940's to later versions from the 1950's and 1960's. All that heft is the water tank above the soleplate. Because the more water an iron held the longer it could steam and thus save Madame trips to the faucet, the things grew to the common sizes we see today. I've got a Bernette steam iron (made in France) that holds the most water one has ever seen. About one and a half to two cups or more I reckon.
Appliance makers have been onto gimmicks ever since wide spread electric use came to homes and the era of modern appliances began. Stream Lining was the first big craze and things seemed to pile up from there.
There were big irons, small irons, heavy irons, light irons, travel irons, compact irons, irons with more surface area, and so forth.
You notice that once irons started making their own steam internally without separate water tanks they began to grow in size. Compare a Westinghouse or Proctor steam iron from say the 1940's to later versions from the 1950's and 1960's. All that heft is the water tank above the soleplate. Because the more water an iron held the longer it could steam and thus save Madame trips to the faucet, the things grew to the common sizes we see today. I've got a Bernette steam iron (made in France) that holds the most water one has ever seen. About one and a half to two cups or more I reckon.
Pat's right..
This is my Sunbeam dry iron. This pic should probably be rated.
This is my Sunbeam dry iron. This pic should probably be rated.
appliguy
Well-known member
Lets face it
Awww come on Wiskybill this is the angle that does this iron the most justice LOL......Honestly this ironis the most phallically designed small appliance in the history of small appliances LOL PAT COFFEY
Awww come on Wiskybill this is the angle that does this iron the most justice LOL......Honestly this ironis the most phallically designed small appliance in the history of small appliances LOL PAT COFFEY
appliguy
Well-known member
What was the designer smoking
when he came up with a profile like this? PAT COFFEY
when he came up with a profile like this? PAT COFFEY
appliguy
Well-known member
Here are 4 more irons from my collection
From left to right: 1941 Waring (yes the Blendor people) Steam Iron, 1948 GE Steam Iron (the second and last generation of GE Steam Iron to use the Waring design), Circa 1952 Westinghouse Dry Iron, 1957 Westinghouse Steam Iron....PAT COFFEY
From left to right: 1941 Waring (yes the Blendor people) Steam Iron, 1948 GE Steam Iron (the second and last generation of GE Steam Iron to use the Waring design), Circa 1952 Westinghouse Dry Iron, 1957 Westinghouse Steam Iron....PAT COFFEY
appliguy
Well-known member
I think my favorite Iron is the Waring Aluron Steam Iron
from 1941...PAT COFFEY
from 1941...PAT COFFEY
appliguy
Well-known member
It is called an Aluron
because as the tag says on the iron It is "For All You Iron"....PAT COFFEY
because as the tag says on the iron It is "For All You Iron"....PAT COFFEY
Pat...you're so bad....and so right! LOL
That Waring iron is very fetching. Don't have one, haven't seen one until now.
Will be on the lookout for one.
Thanks... Bill
That Waring iron is very fetching. Don't have one, haven't seen one until now.
Will be on the lookout for one.
Thanks... Bill
launderess
Well-known member
Right There!
That is what bothers me as mentioned before about some older steam irons. They only made steam in a rather limited range.
In the case above the Waring iron seems to stop at "Wool", what about "Cotton" and "Linen"?
That is what bothers me as mentioned before about some older steam irons. They only made steam in a rather limited range.
In the case above the Waring iron seems to stop at "Wool", what about "Cotton" and "Linen"?
You would think it would be the other way round i.e. steam on cotton and linen but not on cooler settings, which would not heat the water enough to make steam. My mother never possessed a steam iron and would only use mine if she was sure there was no water in it. She always said "Water and electricity don't mix".
In UK, Morphy Richards was the main brand for irons and they made the same model dry iron for several decades:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-R...llectables_Kitchenalia_RL&hash=item3a797bef06
In UK, Morphy Richards was the main brand for irons and they made the same model dry iron for several decades:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-R...llectables_Kitchenalia_RL&hash=item3a797bef06
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