A stretcher for the Lady Members

[Smokin Don]

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.



Smokin Don

[sliding_billy]

That is hilarious.

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[SmokinKat]

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! 

[muebe]

 

[Pam Gould]

I like loose blouses to hide what I was amply blessed with..LOL      .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.

[Keymaster]

Nice old antique Don. Wished my pants stretcher was only 3 bits

[TentHunteR]

Don, you sure have some interesting antique items.

[HighOnSmoke]

Very interesting Don!

[africanmeat]

that is cool