The “Mystery” Object in the Photo: A Charcoal Box Iron
Long before the hum of an electric iron, the charcoal box iron—also known as a coal iron or self-heating iron—was a marvel of 19th-century ingenuity. Used in homes and laundries across Europe, America, and beyond, this cast-iron workhorse brought order to wrinkled linens without a single wire or outlet. Unlike the heavy, constantly reheated “sad … Read more