Antique Brass Coal Iron Set of 2 – Circa 1900s Charcoal Box Iron with Wooden Handle, Vertical Bars | Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Home Decor

This is a genuine antique set of two brass charcoal box irons (also called coal irons or sad irons), dating to circa the early 1900s. The set includes one large iron and one smaller travel-size iron, both featuring wooden handles and distinctive vertical bar vents on both sides. Both pieces are in original, used condition – they are not reproductions and are not intended for functional clothes-pressing use today. They are sold as rustic decorative accents suited to industrial, vintage, or farmhouse-style interiors.

Design Detail: The Vertical Bars

Both irons feature vertical bar vents running along both sides of the body – a design reminiscent of a jail-cell window. This venting allowed airflow to the heated charcoal inside while the iron was in use, and it's one of the most visually distinctive features of antique charcoal box irons, making the set a striking conversation piece even when displayed purely as decor.

A Note on the Word "Iron"

In Bahasa, the word for iron is setrika, derived from the Dutch strijkijzer, meaning "device for smoothing clothes" – a small linguistic trace of the archipelago's colonial history, and a fitting piece of context for a charcoal iron from this era.

Brass body with wooden handle