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Modern, Sun, Herz, and Marvel. These irons are listed here together because they are all extremely similar irons in design.
Modern Specialty Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin revised their name early on to Modern Specialties Manufacturing Company. They were in business from 1907 to 1914, then in 1914 they changed their name to Sun Manufacturing. I am not sure at which point that Modern moved from Milwaukee to South Bend, Indiana, but they were in South Bend before they changed their name to Sun.
Sun Manufacturing Company of South Bend, Indiana - 1914 to ?. I am not sure at which point that Sun moved from South Bend to Chicago, Illinois.
Help-Mate iron by Herz Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. This iron more closely resembles the patent picture by Julius Heilbron and is from around 1910. This iron is not in my collection.
Another Herz iron from around 1911. This iron is in George Kyle's collection.
Julius Heilbron of Herz Manufacturing patented this self-heating iron which appears to be identical to the Modern and Sun irons.
"MARVEL A.J.L.C.H.CO. MILWAUKEE PATENTED" is embossed on this iron. A.J.L.C.H.CO. stands for A. J. Lindemann & (Charles) Hoverson Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lindemann & Hoverson were a large gasoline appliance manufacturer and this is the only iron that was produced by them. This iron was made around 1912. This iron is not in my collection.
Philip Pfeil patent for Lindemann & Hoverson's Marvel iron. This design looks very similar to the Modern patent.
Ferdinand Hoya patent for the below Modern Specialty Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Iron.
Modern Gasoline Iron made by Modern Specialty Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin around 1908. This iron is in Ken Faulkner's collection.
Top view of Modern Gasoline Iron with wooden handle. Always good to specify that it is non-explosive.
Another Modern Gasoline Iron. Same iron as above but with a different handle.
Top view of Modern Gasoline Iron No. 26.
Another Modern Specialty Company iron but with a change in body style from the above iron.
Top view of Modern iron, it says "MODERN GASOLINE IRON - MODERN SPECIALTY COMPANY - PAT OCT. 19-09 MILWAUKEE, WIS".
Modern Gasoline Iron identical to the iron above but this one shows that Modern Specialty Company changed it's name to Modern Specialties Manufacturing Company.
Top view of the Modern Iron showing the hard to read engraving in the handle base. It says "Modern Gasoline Iron" - "MODERN SPECIALTIES MFG. CO." - "PAT. OCT. 19 - 09 MILWAUKEE, WI".
This iron is badged Modern Specialties Mfg. Co. of South Bend, Indiana. At some point, Modern Specialties moved from Milwaukee to South Bend. This iron was made before Modern Specialties became Sun Manufacturing of South Bend which took place in 1914. This iron is not in my collection.
This article was from the January 20, 1914 issue of the South Bend News-Times newspaper.
This is a Sun iron but with differences over the other Sun irons. The back of the iron is now flat, more like the Modern iron. The base is now ridged like the Foote irons. The burner assembly is the same as the Modern irons and the Sun irons.
Top view of this different Sun Iron.
Sun Manufacturing Company of South Bend, Indiana made the Sun iron. The top plate is embossed "The Iron That Sizzles".
This is one of the many irons I now own that were from the collection of the late Pat & Jerry Engbring of Madison, Wisconsin. I had met them multiple times and am honored to have most of their non-Coleman iron collection.
Top view of Sun Iron.
Another Sun iron, this one has a smooth top plate and an identification tag on the handle base.
Top view of the Sun iron. This model iron is the only irons I am aware of that have serial numbers. This iron's serial number is 205575.
Another Sun Mfg. Co. iron. Has the iron info embossed on the base of the handle versus having a tag.
Embossed handle base on this Sun iron.
Sun Manufacturing of Chicago, Illinois iron. Sun Manufacturing moved from South Bend, Indiana to Chicago, Illinois and I am unsure of the year of that move.
Top view of Sun iron from Chicago, Illinois.
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