W. H. Howell Company sad iron stands
The W. H. Howell Company of Geneva, Illinois was a leading producer of cast iron sad irons, trivets and fluters from the mid 1800s into the early 1900s. But as the … Continue reading
The WAPAK sad iron stand
If you have a copy of Esther Berner’s book A Collector’s Guide To Pressing Irons and Trivets (1977) you might notice at least two instances where she associates the Wapak … Continue reading
Tools of a moulder
This antique trivet design depicts the tools of a moulder (molder), a foundry worker responsible for ramming sand around a pattern, preparing the mold, then pouring in molten metal to … Continue reading
The Scottish Carron “turtle” and reproductions
The Carron Company was founded in Falkirk, Scotland in 1759. It continued in operation for over 220 years, closing in 1982. A comprehensive history by Brian Watters (2005) entitled Carron … Continue reading
Reproduction vs Antique
Most collectors are familiar with the most common reproduction trivet designs. But have you discovered the antique trivets that were their inspiration? In this blog post I compare six trivet designs, … Continue reading
Union Web cast iron horseshoe
This is an interesting little horseshoe shaped advertising piece. Although shaped somewhat like a bottle opener, its roundness and thickness argue against that. Was it intended for use as a … Continue reading
Asbestos toy sad iron with removable hood
This is Dover Manufacturing Company’s little “Asbestos” nickel-plated sad iron marked PAT. MAY 22, 1900 on the top. Only 3″ tall, it measures 4″ x 1 7/8″ and came complete … Continue reading
The double pointed Banded Sheaf pattern
Each of these three little sad iron stands (trivets) supported a small double pointed sad iron; their oval shape and four angled iron guides are the tipoff. The center design … Continue reading