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The Happy Iron

1926 , Norwich (Norfolk)

Cat no. 103

A cartoon advertising film for Colman's of Norwich.

The film begins with two flat irons talking. The next sequence shows a maid doing the washing, on her knees bent over a dolly tub. A well-dressed woman, her mistress, stands watching. The maid continues with the washing after her mistress leaves, adding starch to the tub. She is shown throwing the washing away; the washing then hangs itself on the line. In the next sequence the maid is ironing when the mistress returns. She is horrified to see the state of her laundry and sacks the maid. The maid shrinks; a sack falls over her and she hops off the scene. The mistress tries to iron the washing herself. The iron gets cross, jumps up and raises his fists to her. He announces that he is on strike and sits cross-legged on the ironing board. The woman gets cross with the iron and shakes it fiercely. The iron summons help and flat irons come flying out of Flat Iron Flats to rescue him. Several flat irons turn on the woman and toss her around in a sheet right up to a passing aeroplane where an Indian is bringing rice for starch. He gives a handful to the woman that turns into a box of Colman's starch. The final sequence switches back to the talking irons. The film ends with a picture of a box of Colman's starch.

Keywords

Housewives; Ironing; Laundry; Servants; Women

Intertitles

You're looking very pleased with yourself. Naturally - I'm the Happy Iron! I'll tell you what made me happy.I shall expect to see the linen washed, starched and ironed by the time I come back. Dried and -Ironed?! I'll have to do it all over again myself. Madam, I am weary of bumps and sticky patches of starch. I am on stike! But I will use you most carefully. Another washout. You're doing it on purpose. Rescue! Careless Woman! Because your linen discolours and rots - because it lacks crispness and 'finish' - you blame first the washing and then the iron - while the root of your trouble is the inferior starch you use! Toss her in her own disgraceful linen! Pardon my intrusion - but ...Take some - 'twill put a fine 'finish' to your washday troubles! And that's why I'm a Happy Iron! I skim lightly over smooth white surfaces with never a check or bump.

Manifestations

The Happy Iron

  • Barcode
    INV348116
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    MP4 H264 digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:03:34
    Modification Date
    24/11/2011
    Parts
    Reference
    734278
  • Barcode
    INV352008
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    MP4 H264 digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:03:34
    Modification Date
    31/08/2011
    Parts
    Reference
    724626
  • Barcode
    INV339025
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    MP4 H264 digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:03:34
    Modification Date
    31/08/2011
    Parts
    Reference
    723832
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV343159
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    DV digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:02:17
    Modification Date
    10/05/2011
    Parts
    Reference
    710734
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV222513
    Canonical Identifier
    1992/48
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Details
    Carrier Type
    16mm film
    Colour System
    bw
    Colour Type
    bw
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:36:06
    Has Image
    Y
    Has Sound
    Y
    Identifier
    Image Polarity
    neg
    Modification Date
    18/11/2010
    Parts
    Reference
    697485
    Sound
    sound
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV289206
    Canonical Identifier
    1992/48
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Details
    Carrier Type
    16mm film
    Colour Type
    bw
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:36:06
    Has Image
    Y
    Has Sound
    Y
    Identifier
    Image Polarity
    pos
    Modification Date
    18/11/2010
    Parts
    Reference
    697451
    Sound
    sound
    Sound System
    mag stripe
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV240948
    Canonical Identifier
    2010/62
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Details
    Carrier Type
    16mm film
    Colour System
    bw
    Colour Type
    bw
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:06:56
    Has Image
    Y
    Has Sound
    N
    Identifier
    Image Polarity
    pos
    Modification Date
    17/11/2010
    Parts
    Reference
    697314
    Sound
    silent
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV291676
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    master digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:02:21
    Modification Date
    26/08/2008
    Parts
    Reference
    676228
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV253935
    Canonical Identifier
    TB 896
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    Umatic tape
    Dimension
    Identifier
    Modification Date
    13/08/2008
    Parts
    Reference
    675882
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV174087
    Canonical Identifier
    TB 34
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    Umatic tape
    Dimension
    Identifier
    Modification Date
    21/07/2008
    Parts
    Reference
    672717
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV188616
    Canonical Identifier
    VP-4
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Duration
    0:02:30
    Identifier
    Modification Date
    25/06/2021
    Parts
    Reference
    562841
  • Barcode
    INV??1350
    Canonical Identifier
    B-309
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    16mm film
    Colour Type
    bw
    Identifier
    Image Polarity
    negative
    Modification Date
    25/06/2021
    Parts
    Reference
    562196
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV212697
    Canonical Identifier
    A-733
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    16mm film
    Colour System
    KodachromeII
    Colour Type
    colour
    Has Sound
    N
    Identifier
    Image Polarity
    positive
    Modification Date
    25/06/2021
    Parts
    Reference
    560702
    Sound
    silent

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