The “mystery” object in the photo: a charcoal box iron Full article

the iron was replaced by heat available through the flick of a switch.

The Charcoal Iron Was Both Innovative and Primitive

From a modern perspective, the charcoal box iron can seem crude and unsafe.

Yet within its historical setting, it represented practical innovation.

It extended heating time, reduced trips to the stove, and made large piles of laundry continue reading …