Posted 3 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
Still in working condition despite its worn electric cord, this is a SUNBEAM IRONMASTER model A-4. Its name is on both sides of its funky aero-styled black bakelite handle, with a red temp control knob at its center front. A heavy duty spring relief holds its original cloth cord and plug, while the cord looks bad it isn't actually completely 'hazardous' as it sits since the copper wires inside still remain fully insulated in inner layers within its cloth jacket. (still, I wouldn't necessarily wanna *use* it that way...?!!) I don't know exactly how old it is, guessing late 1940's to 50's...?
Ah, patents. };-)
Looks to me like the oldest it could be is 1942 (based on the filed patent dates). Of course, there are some pending ones mentioned that could bring that age down some more:
https://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/patimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=RE021585&IDKey=E8E4654CB5DE%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=01993956&IDKey=AFFA1BE0E137%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02138720&IDKey=D5A969A9D5F2%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02258639&IDKey=4BC6FBE7A23D%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02266708&IDKey=FCBA1D90CDCA%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02277034&IDKey=F5C57AD8A4E3%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02277439&IDKey=F9817AD8DDED%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=D0114092&IDKey=24F8E795A0B2%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=D0114093&IDKey=C4E8E795E0A7%0D%0A&HomeUrl=%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fpatimg.htm
I like that little "CAUTION-USE WITH WALL RECEPTACLE ONLY" caveat. Presumably, they were concerned that somebody might try to plug it into an overhead light receptacle.