For sale were antique cast iron irons, priced at one thousand five hundred soms each.
Maxim Podgorny, a local historian, explained that cast iron irons began to be widely used in Kyrgyzstan in the mid-19th century when Russians started to settle in the country.
“There were two main types of irons: ‘coal’ irons, which had special compartments for hot coals, and solid ones that were heated in an oven or on a stove. These ‘coal’ irons were used for over a hundred years until electricity arrived,” the historian clarified.
The first electric iron was created in 1882; however, it remained bulky and inconvenient, often causing electric shocks.
In Kyrgyzstan, coal and heating irons were used until the 1950s. At the dawn of their appearance, irons were valued for their weight—some could weigh up to fifteen kilograms. Cast iron irons also featured artistic designs: relief bodies and patterned handles. Before the 1917 revolution, they were displayed in wealthy homes in Kyrgyzstan as symbols of affluence and luxurious interiors,” Podgorny added.
