it needed to be manageable enough for someone to move across fabric.
That is why the object in the photograph looks much heavier and more substantial than the lightweight irons most people use today.
Why Was It Called a “Box” Iron?
The name comes from its general shape.
Unlike some earlier flat irons, which were essentially solid pieces of metal with a handle, a box iron had a hollow interior or chamber.
That space was used to hold a heat source.
In this case, the heat source was charcoal.
The
