Flatiron Patent Model
date: label: Date made
content: 1877-01-30
label: patent date
content: 1877-01-30
name: label: inventor
content: Westphal, Charles H.
notes: label: Description
content: Patent model (U.S. Patent No. 186,697) of a gas iron, made by Charles H. Westphal of Buffalo, NY, and patented on January 30, 1877. Pointed-toe iron consists of a removable burner pipe at heel of a hollow body with removable brass wire mesh lining, an ignition hole with brass cover or damper on left side, four ventilation holes along bottom edge of both sides and three chimneys opening to right on top. Wire handle has a baluster block grip and S-curve or gooseneck sides individually attached into raised circular bases or sockets. No marks on object, but darkened paper tag tied to handle with red or purple wove ribbon is printed and handwritten with patent information. Missing spiral pipe or worm and stop-cock, both attached to threaded elbow joint at exterior end of burner.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Buffalo
label: associated place
content: United States: New York, Buffalo
topic: label: Subject
content: Household Tools and Equipment
label: Subject
content: Laundry
label: Subject
content: Patent Models
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd E. Raport
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1977.1216.018
label: accession number
content: 1977.1216
label: catalog number
content: 1977.1216.018
label: patent number
content: 186,697
objectType: label: Object Name
content: flatiron
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: iron, nickel plated (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: iron (burner material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (wire mesh lining, ignition hole cover material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 6 3/4 in x 7 1/2 in x 4 in; 17.145 cm x 19.05 cm x 10.16 cm