Clothes iron - Steel

Here is an overview of the history of this iron commonly called the “dragon’s claw.”

The punch features a six-pointed star and the German inscription “MUSTERSHUTS,” which means that this is the original model legally protected. In other words, the model’s copyright is protected by law. One could logically suppose that this iron is of German origin. But that is not the case. In reality, it is of Austrian and Czech origin.

The product was manufactured by the company Homboker und Marienthaler Eisenwaren-Industrie und Handels-Aktiengesellschaft, “Moravia.” Founded in 1870 by the merger of two companies belonging to the Czech industrialist family Mahanek, the company had its headquarters in Vienna until 1921. Its factories were located in Moravia, a historic region that was part of Austria-Hungary at the time and became Czechoslovak after the empire collapsed in 1918. The foundry where these parts were most likely produced was at Mariánské Údolí, not far from Brno.

In 1908, the company registered a mark representing a six-pointed star with no other inscription or symbol, accompanied by the English wording “Original Model,” corresponding to the German inscription “Mustershutz.” The six-pointed star had already served as a mark on the company’s products. In one form or another, this emblem was registered for the first time in 1908.

The last reference to the six-pointed star as a company mark (logo) dates from 1927. In the 1932 cast-iron product catalog, another logo already appears. It is not known whether the six-pointed star was still used on the products themselves at that time.

This automatic locking mechanism and its shape do not appear to have been officially registered. At any rate, I did not find any document supporting such a registration. Yet there are similar precedents. For example, an automatic latch in the shape of the head of the Hungarian politician and revolutionary Layosh Koschut was officially registered as a trademark by Hirsch & Frank in 1903.

In this article, I have discussed the most common brand on irons: the “dragon’s claw.” However, irons bearing other marks, or none at all, can sometimes be found. Moreover, a similar iron appears in the Neptun company catalog, the Polish company, although I have never seen one. “Dragon’s claw” is the label of this factory.

As for the company Homboker und Marienthaler Eisenwaren-Industrie und Handels-Aktiengesellschaft “Moravia,” after overcoming prosperous periods and difficult times, it became MORA MORAVIA, s.r.o., and then joined the famous Gorenie group in 2005.