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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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18th Jul 2017, 10:37 pm | #1 |
Pentode
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: London, UK.
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Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
Any thoughts on a manufacturer or date for this?
I was given it today. As you can see it's going to need a bit of cleaning. I'll proceed with caution on the basis that it probably contains asbestos.
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18th Jul 2017, 10:47 pm | #2 |
Banned
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
That reminds me of a professional pressing iron used by tailors rather than domestic.
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18th Jul 2017, 11:00 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
The middle of the cover plate gives the manufacturer away, it's the GEC's Magnet branding.
http://vintageelectricirons.blogspot...ters-iron.html Paul |
18th Jul 2017, 11:04 pm | #4 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
"220-230V" would seem to pre-date Operation Aladdin. I can't recall exactly when that was — I THINK late-'50s — but it was certainly post-war.
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18th Jul 2017, 11:07 pm | #5 | |
Pentode
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
Quote:
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18th Jul 2017, 11:15 pm | #6 |
Octode
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Location: Manchester, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
I've noticed that magnet logo on an old factory chimney one can see from the M6 N on the left, where the motorway crosses a canal near spaghetti junction. I wonder if that was a GEC works.
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19th Jul 2017, 11:10 am | #7 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: North Herts. UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
That was the GEC works at Witton. I think only the chimney now remains.
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19th Jul 2017, 11:13 am | #8 | |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Great Malvern, Worcestershire, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
Quote:
--- Mike |
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19th Jul 2017, 11:51 am | #9 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
It was when the UK mains voltage was standardised at 240VAC. I couldn't find anything on Google last night either when I was trying to find the date.
The Electricity Boards sent engineers 'round to adapt peoples equipment for the new voltage, where the old local one was radically different. Operation Aladdin came from the idea of "New lamps for old" as light-bulbs were something that needed changing. I've seen things originally marked "200-220V" which has been over stamped "220-250V" or had stickers applied saying it has been modified for use on 240V. |
19th Jul 2017, 12:16 pm | #10 |
Dekatron
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Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
I grew up in West Ham in East London, and ours was changed from 200V AC to 240V circa 1960. I remember they had to change the motors of our washing machine and dad's Black and Decker drill. They gave us a new set of lamp bulbs and told us to use the old ones until they blew. The ones in the shed lasted several years.
An uncle who lived a few miles away in Bow was on 200V DC in the 1950's, but I don't know when theirs was changed. |
19th Jul 2017, 12:20 pm | #11 | |
Dekatron
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Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
Quote:
Presumably "listed" though not "listing"
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19th Jul 2017, 12:20 pm | #12 |
Retired Dormant Member
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
How lovely! Thanks for that - just explained it to my 10-year-old daughter (who is into the 1960s I Dream of Jeannie at the moment!)
Last edited by Collaro; 19th Jul 2017 at 12:28 pm. |
19th Jul 2017, 6:31 pm | #13 |
Dekatron
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Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
Thinking back, our washing machine was gas-heated, so didn't have any heater elements to change. My uncle, who lived in the flat downstairs had a, presumably pre-war, electric geyser-type water heater that was leased from the electricity company. It was so old that they didn't convert it, but stopped charging him for it and told him to carry on using it until it stopped working. It was in daily use until he moved out some seven years later.
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19th Jul 2017, 7:04 pm | #14 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
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19th Jul 2017, 7:16 pm | #15 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
No, a Servis. I remember it well: just as well as it came with the service contract, as there was evidently a manufacturing fault with the wringer. It chewed up the gears every time it was used from new, and after the third call-out visit in three weeks to fit a new set of gears each time, they gave us a new wringer. As dad worked for the gas board, our other kitchen appliances (Cooker, Fridge) were gas, and we didn't at that time have an electric kettle, so the only other items that needed attention were the voltage tappings on our numerous radios and the TV. My Hornby Dublo train set controllers and transformers were for 230-250v anyway.
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20th Jul 2017, 8:40 pm | #16 |
Hexode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
I would say it would date from the late 1940s. Does the element show any sign of life?
Regards, Robin. |
21st Jul 2017, 2:11 pm | #17 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Co. Durham, UK.
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
The connector looks 1940s, but I imagine it originally had a pair of porcelain-sleeved individual connectors, red and black.
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22nd Jul 2017, 10:30 am | #18 |
Pentode
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Re: Any old iron.... but who made it, and when?
Those unsheathed pin connectors make it quite early. I have an electric kettle from 1912 with the same arrangements, plus the two composition / vulcanised rubber connectors that fit them. Unpolarised (obviously- an element has no polarity) on twisted lighting flex, complete with wooden plug. I would imagine the guess above of 1919 would be correct, if not earlier.
Oliver |