Slug iron

Before the widespread use of electric irons, a commonly used type was the slug iron. The slug (known as dusza in Polish) was usually an iron bar that, after being heated in a fire, was inserted into the iron through an opening in its rear part. A flap or sliding cover prevented the slug from falling out during ironing. Inside the iron, there were ridges on which the slug rested. It couldn't lie directly on the bottom of the device, as that would cause the iron to overheat, potentially scorching the fabric being ironed. Due to the gradual cooling of the slug, it was practical to have at least two slugs ready—while one was in use, the other could be heating up. One major advantage of slug irons over coal irons was that their use did not carry the risk of soiling the laundry. The ethnographic collection of the National Museum in Szczecin features a brass slug iron from the second half of the 19th century. It has a soleplate shaped like an elongated triangle, which forms a single piece with the rounded body, whose front part is quite sharply pointed. Irons with this body shape are called "ox tongues" due to their resemblance to the shape of a bovine tongue and have been known since the late 18th century. They were most popular from the second half of the 19th century until the 1920s. The iron presented here is decorated with an engraved zoomorphic motif depicting bears in a forest. Such decorations on irons were rare. Because of the rich ornamentation, it can be assumed that this iron was intended for wealthier customers. Nowadays, old irons often serve as decorative elements or collectible items. Agnieszka Słowińska