The metal and wood hangers were the first to catch my eye. One was quite beautiful in its construction – a curved piece of wood attached to thin metal that reminded me of two oversized safety pins. It was holding up two smaller hangers that still bore the name of the company they were advertising.
Behind the three hangers was a rectangular board that held a label identifing what it was and how it was used. That was good, because it didn’t easily give up its purpose. It appeared to be a plain old – but nice – flat piece of wood.
The smaller pants hangers advertised the Ed. Sigfred Clothing, Furniture and Shoes shop in Marion, IA. They had a patent date of Oct. 8, 1903. Their purpose was obvious.
The flat board was used for something more. It was used in a type of business that is still around today, and in a home that would have found it useful back in the day, but little used today. In its infancy, the board also had another use that was very unusual.
What is it and what was its other unusual purpose? Click on the photo below for the answer.
