Ironing
In 1871 Mary Florence Potts of Ottumwa, Iowa was granted a patent for a sadiron with a removable handle. This simple idea prevented burned fingers and hands. The Potts iron below is missing the removable handle (catalog number 79.2.12). You could buy a genuine Mrs. Potts iron from the Sears catalog. This advertisement is from the Fall 1912 catalog.
Sadirons with removable handles were manufactured by many companies like the one below (catalog number 79.2.24). This was also known as a polishing iron. Polishing irons were used on stiffly starched collars and shirtfronts to give them a shine. This was done by sprinkling a bit of water on the shirt and vigorously ironing back and forth with an iron which had a rounded or perforated base.
