More than 400 irons gathered over a lifetime by a man who smoothed over any obstacle to enhance his collection are set for auction.
Martin Matthews liked them so much he even put a 10lb iron – spotted while on holiday in Greece – in his hand luggage to get it past airport officials.
Over the course of 35 years he amassed hundreds of vintage irons which he displayed in his lounge – much to the surprise of the woman who later became his wife, Trudy Matthews.
Trudy, 61, a nurse and photographer from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, said: “I first met Martin in 1997 when he came to service my gas fire – then asked me out on a date! I was struck by his humour, love of life and open, friendly personality.
“He duly invited me to dinner at his house and, when I got there, I was astonished to see a set of shelves, 6ft high by about 3ft wide, full of antique and vintage laundry irons. I thought how strange this was but somehow loved the fact he had such an unusual hobby. Apparently, it all started in the late 1980s when an elderly lady gave him an old iron and suggested he use it as a doorstop.
“As we spent more time together, I introduced him to the internet and eBay and he started searching across the world for more items to add to his collection. We also started going to big antique fairs in Newark, Norwich and Peterborough.
“Over the 26 years of our relationship and marriage, his collection grew to occupy a shelving unit that was 7ft high by 11ft wide! An entire wall In our lounge was covered in more than 400 irons. Not to mention the Victorian washing machine, the chain driven mangle and the cast iron stove!
“He loved his collection and did lots of research and read books to improve his knowledge. We also visited museums such as Milestones at Basingstoke and the Black Country Living Museum near Birmingham, which he loved.
“We travelled extensively and he loved to find irons in countries we visited. We spotted them in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey, Canada and the United States.
“On our first holiday together, he saw an old iron in a shop on the Greek island of Skiathos. It was huge and weighed over 10 pounds. He desperately wanted it but was worried what Customs might say at Gatwick Airport.
“It wasn’t expensive so I said just buy it, put it in your hand luggage, say nothing and DON’T look suspicious when you walk through arrivals at Gatwick. So he did, and no one batted an eyelid!
“On another occasion when we were in Quebec City in Canada, having travelled there on the Queen Mary 2, we spotted two irons at an antique shop. Martin really wanted them. He bought them but when we returned to the ship the X-ray machines spotted two large lumps of iron in his bag.
“There was a flurry of activity and several officers appeared wanting to know what they were. Martin gleefully said, ‘they’re irons, I collect them.’
The security officers didn’t understand this at all and said ‘why?’. Martin just said he liked them and that he had nearly 400 in his house, at which point, the security officers dissolved into fits of laughter and waved us through.
“Towards the end of 2021, Martin became ill and was in need of life-saving treatment. He had myelodysplastic syndrome which required a bone marrow transplant. He endured a great deal of discomfort, stress and worry about his condition and had nine admissions to hospital within six months. He then improved and continued to search for and add items to his collection.
However, he developed complex immune problems and an acute flare up in February 2023 resulted in him passing away at the age of 65 in March. He left two daughters, Aleena and Kristina, and six grandchildren.
Martin was an exceptionally witty, humorous, caring and unusual character. He made a big and lasting impact on everyone he met and was known for his kindness and generosity.
“He knew that I would not keep the irons if anything happened to him. He would have been very pleased to know Hansons Auctioneers was working to find them a new home.”
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “Martin was clearly a wonderful man and our hearts go out to his family. His quirky collection has left a lasting legacy. I hope there is a collector or museum out there as enthusiastic as him who will care for this extraordinary collection in the years to come.
“Irons sparked an historical journey for Martin that brought him joy for decades. His collection includes heavyweight antique metal irons which would have been heated up on a stove to early electric examples. His hobby captured the development of the iron as a household staple.”
The first known use of heated metal to iron clothes occurred in China in the 1st century. Different techniques to flatten creases out of clothes evolved into the electric iron which was invented in 1882 by Henry W. Seeley in New York City, USA.
Martin’s iron collection will be offered in Hansons Auctioneers’ August 17-22 Antiques and Collectors Auction.
The irons will be sold in multiple lots, several with estimates of £80-£100. Other laundry-related items include a barrel washing machine and mangle, Red Star Fergus 8, London Beatty Bros Ltd, £80-£100 and vintage cast iron mangle, £60-£80.
Catalogue due live August 11 at www.hansonslive.co.uk or www.the-saleroom.com
To find out more, email [email protected] or call 01283 733988.
