Hi everybody! New member here with my first post! I do not yet have photos uploaded yet but i will have them here very soon.
I am looking for any sort of information on what I believe to be a 1911 Simplex Ironing machine. I am looking for any history on who made them, from when to when they were produced, the rarity of them, and how desireable they can be.
My wife and I just purchased our first house which was built in 1885 and in the basement was left for was, this old appliance. It uses gas flame to heat up a 42" long, stationary iron, and an electric motor to rotate a 42" long by about 8" round drum that rolls the fabrics against the iron. It looks as if it hasn't been used for a very very long time as the padding around the drum is torn and falling off. It stands on 2.5' iron legs with nice hardwood on them. About 75% of the sheet metal and 25% of the iron is rusty.
The pictures I will be posting soon will show it partially disassembled as i am currently in the process of restoring it.
I have spent hours and hours scouring the web in search of any sort of information about its history and worth to no avail. The only pictures i have found of other ones like it have been from 3 different ebay sales such as this.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-VINTAGE-1911-SIMPLEX-IRONER-WOOD-IRON-MACHINE-AMERICAN-IRONING-USA-/280935469944Any help would be greatly appriciated!
Take your time and have fun!