We couldn’t talk about Collecting Antique Sad Irons unless we talked about something you put these hot things on. Just a simple thing called a TRIVET, and yes, they are mostly made of cast iron; however, they can be made of wire or stamped tin and yes, the CAST IRON TRIVETS are collectable. Check some of the photo’s and you can see why they are collectables.

  Everybody knows the term and everybody’s got some form of one at home, cork and bamboo. ETC.

English dictionary defines old sad iron “Trivets” this way, they a decorative metal or wire stand that was used for HOT kettles, skillets, pots and of course (Sad irons).

Now, we are just talking about Antique Cast Iron Trivets and {tri – meaning three}  mostly because we’re talking about old “Sad Iron” in our previous blog post. Click on (LINK) to “Sad Irons”

These collector items come with either three or four legs. Three legged trivets were more stable on an uneven surface and were the most popular back in the day. Some of these Trivets were especially made for Sad Irons, custom fit the sad iron to the trivet by way of a lip, partial or all the way around the top of the casting, and that’s only so the iron didn’t slip off and onto the dry wood counter.

There are trivets that were made for Sad Irons and then the  flat trivets were made for hot skillets, frying pans, pot of hot water, ETC.

Some Trivets are very crude cast iron looking, “but practical no less” or they could be quite decorative and handy as well. Some of the elite trivets come with handles so you don’t burn your pinkies, “Oh, I already said that”  but most you will find do not. There’ re round ones, heart shaped ones, Lacey looking ones, and they all had the same purpose…just to keep the heat from the sad iron off the table or counter.

Remember, mostly everything in the early days was made of wood. With a sad iron or flat iron in use they became quite hot, so the trivets were used to set a hot iron on, so you don’t burn your wood counter top, table, you or your cabin.

Fire was a big concern back then, being everything was made from wood.

*Antique Trivet castings were generally smooth and not coarse. Reproduction.

*They will also have Sprue or Wedge casting marks on the bottom or sides to indicate earlier casting procedures.

*Antique trivets normally had long legs 1”-1 ½” inches high.

*There were Lacey looking trivets, advertising trivets with a foundry name on it.  Some had the city or town name that they were made in. They, by the way, are the most desirable by Advertising and Antique Kitchen Ware Collectors.

* Flat Iron Trivets can range from a price of $20 – to a hefty price of over a $100.

The sole purpose of a Trivet was for setting hot items on.


In the modern day, we still use some form of insulator to keep a hot pot or skillet off of your $3000 dollar counter top, and still today, they’re  called a. . . Trivet.

Throw that cheap looking cork”trivet” hot pad away and get something with a little history and a little more style. Antique Trivets are quite affordable and no comparison from the poorly made tasteless looking ones you buy today.

If nothing else, they make for a great conversation piece in any kitchen.

Many serious collectors look high and low for anything to do with “Antique Kitchen Related” hardware, utensils and especially decorative CAST IRON TRIVETS that have a foundry name on it, your home towns stamped in the casting. So, collecting Antique Sad Irons and Trivets go hand in hand. Both fit  into that category of “Collectables” .

CHECK OUT MY OTHER POST ON (SAD IRONS) (LINK)

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Please check these interesting sites for more on “ Antique Kitchen Décor.”

http://www.oldandinteresting.com/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx

http://www.pressingironandtrivetcollectors.org/introduction

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