British Iron Collectors Club

British Iron Collectors Club We are a small but friendly club, and members meet to buy, sell or swap antique pressing irons. We produce a twice yearly magazine "Pressing Matters"

Hazel & Brian Mitchell's daughter has let us know that the date for the auction of more of Hazel's collection, which wil...
30/04/2025

Hazel & Brian Mitchell's daughter has let us know that the date for the auction of more of Hazel's collection, which will be mainly iron stands (Trivets) is on May 7th and 8th. Details as before for Burstowe and Hewett auctions in Battle. The catalogue is available on their website at:
https://www.https://auctions.burstowandhewett.co.uk/

The Family managed to buy them a lovely headstone with the proceeds of the last auction (photo attached).

They think that Hazel would have been happy that her collection paid for a lasting memory of them both.

03/03/2025

Lynn Rosack has posted the following on Pressing Iron Enthusiasts:-

From the UK Auction House: The sale of these items will be on Wednesday 5th March, the sale starts at 9.30am GMT, although these particular lots will not come uo until much later in the day, probably 5-6pm GMT approximately

We will be returning to collect more items from the same vendor, and these will be either in our sale in April or May 2025.

03/03/2025

Hazel & Brian's daughter has posted the following:-

Hi! I’m Hazel’s daughter Wendy. Here is the link to the first auction of her collection.

24/02/2025

I Feel sure that most of you recall Hazel Mitchell who passed away a number of years ago and who specialised in collecting Trivets and wash related items. Her collection is going to be auctioned in several lots on different dates.

The first auction date will be March 5th. I’m not sure of a time yet but it will be an online auction by Burstow and Hewlett, Abbey Gallery Auctions, Lower Lake, Battle TN33 0AT. in Battle. East Sussex. Their email is [email protected]

I will let you know more details when I have them.

I hope that you are all well and still enjoying collecting.

Tony SteadI promised some photos of the Japanese crimper that we saw in use at the Blue Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. ...
19/02/2025

Tony Stead
I promised some photos of the Japanese crimper that we saw in use at the Blue Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Well here are a couple. The crimper is clearly marked 'LION OF JAPAN' across the top stretcher. But what was it used for - well you can see the laundry basket in the background BUT it wasn't laundry in the basket but squid! They are dried and then 'crimped' to flatten them before grilling or frying them and mounting on a stick! Can't say that I tasted the result but this must be the strangest use of an item surely designed for laundry?

The collection of irons from Ray Anstis will be sold over several auctions starting on 4th Feb when Lots 1-78 will be ir...
09/01/2025

The collection of irons from Ray Anstis will be sold over several auctions starting on 4th Feb when Lots 1-78 will be irons from his collection. They are being auctioned by SAS of Newbury and the sale will be online as well as for those attending in person. Start time is 10am (UK time) They have their own live bidding platform (SAS Live) as well using the platforms of the-Saleroom.com and LiveAuctioneers which you may be familiar with. Needless to say the commission charges are less if you use SAS Live.

There is a small 'toy' or lace iron, china irons, goffering irons (and yet another triple, described as 'French' but surely English?), gas irons etc.

The link to the auction is:

https://auction.specialauctionservices.com/auction/search/?au=107

Tony SteadLet me firstly apologise. This article relates to historical fact NOT present day attitudes.On a recent visit ...
28/11/2024

Tony Stead
Let me firstly apologise. This article relates to historical fact NOT present day attitudes.
On a recent visit to the Shirley Petal and Leaf Company where flowers made from fabric are still made using traditional techniques including using flower and leaf irons I just had to photograph these two items and share them with you.
Firstly, artificial hops for adorning beer pump labels of the Charles Wells Brewery.
Firstly, a small 5-lobex (equivalent to sepals for the botanically inclined) piece of fabric was threaded on to a central wire followed by a series of 5 petal led flowers (perianth). These had to be correctly shaped and threaded (glued?) to create the correct shape and then this was embedded in resin. Today the whole thing would probably be 3D-printed in plastic - progress?
Secondly 'The Crippleage' - apparently a home for disabled young ladies who were taught how to make artificial flowers, almost certainly from Victorian times.
More about The Shirley Petal and Leaf Company in the next issue of Pressing Matters - the newsletter of the British Iron Collectors.

Tony SteadSeveral BIC (British Iron Collectors) members recently put on a display of irons at the annual meeting for the...
16/11/2024

Tony Stead
Several BIC (British Iron Collectors) members recently put on a display of irons at the annual meeting for the LADA's (Laundry and Drycleaning Awards) held in the Grand Hotel, Brighton. The display was a timeline of ironing from the earliest (jaw bones, slikenstones, mangle boards etc) through to gas and even electric irons. It included children's irons and crested china irons too but perhaps goffering irons, crimpers, standing irons and poking sticks were over-represented but then again those are our favourites! More about this in the next issue of 'Pressing Matters'.

And we were especially proud when the award for 'Dry/Wet Cleaner of the Year' was awarded to one of the 'family' so to speak!

Tony SteadPeople often ask what were goffering irons used for or how were they used, well this painting from 1909 shows ...
16/11/2024

Tony Stead
People often ask what were goffering irons used for or how were they used, well this painting from 1909 shows a lady using one. There have been several similar paintings, from the same period, of this lady doing her ironing as well as later copies. If you know of any similar pictures I would like to hear about them and an article detailing them, and the later copies, might get published in 'Pressing Matters', the newsletter of the British Iron Collectors.

GAIL COLLINGWOOD - NELSON, NZ Hi Iron Collectors, I wonder if anyone has information on a Victa Trudie Brandd Travel iro...
02/11/2024

GAIL COLLINGWOOD - NELSON, NZ

Hi Iron Collectors, I wonder if anyone has information on a Victa Trudie Brandd Travel iron as seen in the photos. A friend in Nelson New Zealand has a small but impressive group of irons and this iron was recently gifted to her. I have looked in y resources with out luck. We would really appreciate some info about it. Gail Collingwood

Tony SteadBilliard, or snooker, table irons are not too uncommon in the UK and early examples were heated by a slug and ...
18/10/2024

Tony Stead
Billiard, or snooker, table irons are not too uncommon in the UK and early examples were heated by a slug and so are usually called 'box billiard table irons'. But at a National Trust property I was surprised to see a much bigger 'box billiard table iron' which had rounded front corners. In the (poor) photo there is a conventional billiard table iron but behind it what is this iron? Is it just a very big billiard table iron or is it a 'carpet' iron. I have a feeling it may be French, has anybody any information about such irons?

Tony Stead:This small display in the shop of the Shirley Leaf and Petal Company and illustrates many of the main tools u...
02/10/2024

Tony Stead:

This small display in the shop of the Shirley Leaf and Petal Company and illustrates many of the main tools used in making fabric flowers. The green catalogues (1) contain details of each and every cutter or veiner (they may be as many as 10,000 in this store, nobody has counted them!). A range of these tools are displayed (2) on a press (3) used for veining the cut out fabric. Some veiners are recognisable (2a - Begonia leaf but others are less clear 2b, thought to be a swallow or maybe a giant Gingko leaf?) and to the right is a box of early tools used to fashion flowers (4) and some of the final products (5 violet flowers).

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