What it is and how it worked
Before electric irons, many homes and professional launderers used charcoal box irons (also called coal irons or charcoal irons). The body is cast iron shaped like a small metal “box” with a hinged lid. Heat didn’t come from a cord—it came from glowing charcoal loaded inside the cavity.
Key features you can spot in the photo:
Wooden handle: Wood doesn’t conduct heat, so you can grip it safely.
Hinged lid and latch/finial: The decorative piece (often a rooster or bird) is actually a latch to open the lid and refill coals.
Air vents: Slots and scalloped edges let air flow so the charcoal keeps burning.
Heavy soleplate: The thick iron base holds and spreads heat evenly across fabric.
How it was used:
A small brazier or stove lit the charcoal.
The hot coals were transferred into the iron’s box.
The lid was latched, and the user tested the heat (often with a scrap of cloth).
As the iron cooled, the user fanned the vents or added fresh coals to maintain temperature.
This design solved a real problem: earlier “sad irons” had to be heated directly on a fire or stove and swapped constantly. With a box iron, the heat source traveled inside the tool, keeping the temperature steadier and ironing faster.
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What it is and how it worked
Before electric irons, many homes and professional launderers used charcoal box irons (also called coal irons or charcoal irons). The body is cast iron shaped like a small metal “box” with a hinged lid. Heat didn’t come from a cord—it came from glowing charcoal loaded inside the cavity.
Key features you can spot in the photo:
Wooden handle: Wood doesn’t conduct heat, so you can grip it safely.
Hinged lid and latch/finial: The decorative piece (often a rooster or bird) is actually a latch to open the lid and refill coals.
Air vents: Slots and scalloped edges let air flow so the charcoal keeps burning.
Heavy soleplate: The thick iron base holds and spreads heat evenly across fabric.
How it was used:
A small brazier or stove lit the charcoal.
The hot coals were transferred into the iron’s box.
The lid was latched, and the user tested the heat (often with a scrap of cloth).
As the iron cooled, the user fanned the vents or added fresh coals to maintain temperature.
This design solved a real problem: earlier “sad irons” had to be heated directly on a fire or stove and swapped constantly. With a box iron, the heat source traveled inside the tool, keeping the temperature steadier and ironing faster.
see next page
For Complete Cooking STEPS Please Head On Over To Next Page Or Open button (>) and don’t forget to SHARE with your Facebook friends
