Flat Iron Holder c. 1939

Jacob Lipkin made this drawing of a flat iron holder sometime in the 20th century. It’s part of a larger collection of technical drawings documenting early American tools and hardware. This seemingly simple sketch offers a glimpse into the material culture of a bygone era. Consider the social context: before electricity, tools like flat irons were essential for maintaining appearances, reflecting societal expectations around domestic labor and presentation. The flat iron itself speaks to gender roles and the labor of women in the household. The holder, often overlooked, highlights concerns about safety and practicality in a time before modern conveniences. What can we learn from this seemingly mundane object? By studying period catalogs, household inventories, and other archival sources, we can reconstruct the world in which such objects played a central role. The drawing reminds us that art and everyday life are deeply intertwined, and that even the simplest tools can tell complex stories about our shared past.