Let's Talk BBQ

General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: Smokin Don on February 28, 2014, 12:25:21 PM

Title: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: Smokin Don on February 28, 2014, 12:25:21 PM
Keymaster posted about his Levi, pants stretcher. Here is a stretcher for the lady members; a Champion Bosom Stretcher and Ironing Board. We have had it for a long time; my wife bought it at an auction.

It has a patent date of 1881, and was offered in The Montgomery Wards catalog of 1895 for .40 cents. The label has browned and pretty hard to read. It has a diagram of how to use and looks like it was inserted in a blouse with the spring loaded wire on top up through the neck; it looks like the bottom board was used to clamp the bottom of the blouse then you pulled on the wire to stretch the wrinkles out while you ironed it. That is my best guess as to how it would work.

A search of the net only brings up the old Sears and Roebuck and Montgomery Wards catalogs. I cannot find any other photos of one like it. It hangs on our back porch and to the left of it is a child’s ironing board.

(http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a474/deains/My%20Favorite%20Photos/_2281283_zps92c934c6.jpg)

Smokin Don
Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: sliding_billy on February 28, 2014, 01:54:50 PM
That is hilarious.

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Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: SmokinKat on February 28, 2014, 02:09:58 PM
Hehehe I think if eating BBQ had the same 'expanding' qualities as the pants stretcher is used for, you'd have a LOT more women on this forum!  :) 

(I have to admit, Don, after seeing "Champion Bosom Stretcher and Ironing Board" it took me a minute to process that the board is for stretching blouses, not the bosom itself.  I can't remember a time I ever thought to myself "Gosh, my bosom could use a good stretching and ironing." ) 

What a unique antique, though! 

Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: muebe on February 28, 2014, 02:18:25 PM
 :D
Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: Pam Gould on February 28, 2014, 02:26:21 PM
I like loose blouses to hide what I was amply blessed with..LOL      .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: Keymaster on February 28, 2014, 03:35:53 PM
Nice old antique Don. Wished my pants stretcher was only 3 bits :)
Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: TentHunteR on February 28, 2014, 04:00:47 PM
Don, you sure have some interesting antique items.
Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: HighOnSmoke on February 28, 2014, 07:37:56 PM
Very interesting Don!
Title: Re: A stretcher for the Lady Members
Post by: africanmeat on March 01, 2014, 04:21:26 PM
that is cool