Imagine ironing your clothes with a flat-bottomed portable woodstove---that was the concept behind antique charcoal heated irons!  Instead of heating the iron on the stove this type of antique iron functioned as the stove itself with the coal burning and smoking as you prepared the clothes for use.  At first look it seems unlikely, but there are so many different versions around, and patents that were pulled that they must have been used, and used a lot.  And to think we hardly ever iron clothes today, even cotton ones.  My how times have changed. 

Collectible irons of this style typically had features like chimneys, vents, drafts, dampers and other means of dealing with the problems of regulating the heat source and exhausting the smoke. There are literally hundreds of different variations that can be found, some with patent dates other not.  Some with fluters attached, examples in the form of Dragons or monsters from Europe.  Open examples are typically from the Orient and referred to by the country of origin like Chinese Pan Irons. Near the turn of the century in the US is when many different patents were issued for "improvements" in the basic design, but the introduction of first liquid fuel, and then shortly after electricity put an end to this messy but collectible idea.    

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A Special Collection of

The irons listed below are from the Norm Kelley collection and we are selling these Oriental Pan Irons as a collection. He had over 100 and we have selected the top 47 to offer as the cream of his collection.

Oriental / Chinese
Charcoal-Heated Silk Pan Irons

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European / South American / Asian
Charcoal-Heated Irons

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• Charcoal Iron with Decorated Cast Top
• Long Neck Fat Swan Charcoal Iron
• Minty Nice Rooster Charcoal Iron
• Flott Charcoal Iron
• Venus Patent Charcoal Iron
• Vulcan Patent Charcoal Iron
• Vulcan Head Charcoal Iron
• Dalli Charcoal Iron
• Nickel Plated German Charcoal Iron
• One of a Kind Decorated Charcoal Iron   SOLD!
• Unusual Charcoal Iron and Matching Trivet with Bat Logo
• Asian Charcoal Iron   SOLD!
• Oriental Brass Charcoal Iron
• Charcoal Iron with Turned Chimney
• "The Workwell" Charcoal Iron

Books on Irons & Ironing

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• Early Tuesday Morning / Politzer
• Tuesday's Children / Politzer
• Iron Talk Price Guides / Walker
• Patent History of 19th and 20th Century Fluting Irons / Durham
• Antique Irons / Rihn
• Collectors Guide to Pressing Irons & Trivets / Berney
• Irons by Irons and More / Irons
• Evolution of the Sadiron / Glissman
• Collectors Guide to Trivets and Stands / Kelly and Ellwood
• Trivet Books / Hankenson
• The Swanson Collection / Swanson
• A Gallimaufry of Goffering / St. John
• Ferri Da Stiro (Flat-Irons) / Palla
• Irons / Alphin

Please let me know if you have unusual antique irons of any type that you would like to sell either outright or on consignment.  I am actively buying and selling unusual and rare flat irons, sadirons, fluting irons, gas or any fuel irons, sleeve irons, child-size or toy irons, slug irons, patented irons, or rare and unusual antique pressing irons of any sort.  Contact me via email at LCM@patented-antiques.com anytime with full details on what you have for sale or consignment!

**** We Sell Antiques! ****

We want to Help you Sell Your quality Antiques

If you have a single antique, or a collection of antiques to sell please contact us at LCM@patented-antiques.com giving us your PHONE NUMBER  and other contact info and we will get back to you ASAP. 

To view examples of the types of antiques and collectibles we have previously sold and are always interested in helping you sell please visit our Past Sales Archive Pages.

Please see our FAQ page, the Appraisal / Selling Page and the Selling Your Collection Pages for further info.

Thanks!!

Larry & Carole