Actually, it was to hold strips of iron, or a block of iron, heated in
the fire and then inserted into the iron.  One could "adjust" and
"maintain" the temperature of the iron by inserting more heated iron.
The larger "hollow" irons were used throughout the 19th c and into the
20th c by launders.
 
Stephen P. Austin (CESWF-EV-EC)
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Boxley [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, January 22, 1999 12:25 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Flat irons
>
> All,
>    Does anyone have any references to 17th century hollow flat irons?
> Ours has a hollow body with a door on the back that swings open to put
> in
> hot coals (I assume).  If you have David Crossley's book
> "Post-Medieval
> Archaeology in Britain"  page 184, illustration 1 (figure 7.19), shows
> what we have.  Ours is twice the size, however.  This is the only
> reference I can find on this, so any help would be appreciated.
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Steve Boxley,  Ja.T., M.N.
> The Virginia Foundation for Archaeological Research, Inc.
> [log in to unmask]