Who Invented The Ironing Board?

Ironing Exciting!

Sarah Boone
There is very little known about Sarah Boone, a black woman, former slave, and inventor from 19th century Connecticut. She is rightfully believed to be one of the first, if not the first, African American to have earned a patent. Unfortunately, conflicting stories of her best-known achievement is veiled in hostility and misinformation. The truth is that Sarah Boone invented, and was awarded a patent for, an ironing board.

Some sources claim that before her invention, people were left to iron on tables and planks of wood. This claim has drawn its share of detractors, who point out ironing board patents that predate Boone's invention. There are others who claim that Boone's patent involved improving existing ironing boards. This claim is also inaccurate. In many ways these poorly investigated claims do a disservice to Ms. Boone's ingenuity by not seeing the true nature of her ironing board's innovation.

Having ironed my share of shirts and pants, I can appreciate the practicality of Sarah Boone's invention. She invented a unique design that was neither the first ironing board nor was it derivative of previous designs. It was a completely unique ironing board that simplified the ironing of women's waistcoats and sleeves. It was narrow and contoured so that sleeves could be drawn over the board. Given that the surface was curved, larger areas, such as the waistcoat, could be ironed without making unwanted creases. Boone's invention was in fact the first specialized ironing board.

While not used in homes, better laundries, tailors, and dressmakers continue to use Boone’s ironing boards because they can iron a complete garment quickly and efficiently. The ironing board gives access to sleeves, pant legs, and complex contours so that a garment's drape stays true to the original design.

Ironing Board Timeline

1. The first patent for an ironing board is in 1858. It is awarded to J. Vandenberg and J. Harvey for their Ironing Table.

2. The first mention of the term "ironing board" is in 1867 in a patent held by JN Brewster. The device is a Murphy bed type device, a built-in ironing board. The device includes an ironing board cabinet that the board folds up into. The Brewster device is called the ironing board and closet.

3. JH Mallory patents the first modern looking ironing board in 1871. Ironically, it is called an ironing table.

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