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Antique IBSSL - Ironing Board / Stepstool / Ladder Combination in Knoxville, Tennessee For Sale

Price: $125
Type: Art & Antiques, For Sale - Private.

This unusual piece has to bee seen to be believed, unless maybe you grew up using one. Flip the ironing board surface down and you have a chair, or a step stool as it is called in references I have found. Flip the hinged front half of the seat back and you have a stepladder.
This appears to be a version of something known variously as a Jefferson Chair, a Bachelor Chair, an Amish On-It Chair, and an IBSSL (Ironing Board-Step Stool-Ladder). The first is a reference to Thomas Jefferson, though I have yet to find anything actually attributing its design to him.
I have references, easily available online, of reproductions selling for $125 to $334. I saw one, which was not identified as an original or a reproduction, without ironing board cover or seat pad, for $180 on Dallas Craigslist. I assumed it was a reproduction, because it had non-skid pads on the steps. But then I saw another one with those pads, and the shape of the steps was about the same as mine. That one was only identified as “50+ years old.”
I’ve also seen a modern version available for $99, in metal.
Note the handcarved branch sections used to replace two of the cross supports. There is some heavy tape wrapped around the crosspiece that attaches the ironing board suport to the frame. I did not notice any weakness in this piece when I was photographing it, so I do not think it is broken. Instead, I think this is to take some of the wear from the metal hook that protrudes from under the ironing board, probably helping to secure the thing while the board is down. Also note that part of the curved right side of the top step is broken off. Come see the piece and we can check it out thoroughly.
I can not find any documentation on mine. If you know anything interesting about the form, let me know. Until then, this one is not priced. Come out and look at it and make me an offer. An average of the price range of the new reproductions is $225, but from what I’ve come up with in my research, a vintage if not antique model is actually worth less than a new one.
I did find reference to one which identified a patent number that places it in xxxx, but there was no picture for comparison with mine. My judgement is that mine is at least pre-WWII, so I’m thinking somewhere from xxxx to xxxx for its manufacture, making it 66 to 81 years old. If that range is too old, I could believe it being as recent as xxxx, making it 50 years old.
If anyone is seriously interested in buying it I will take off the board cover and photograph the board. I will also freshen it up with a cleaning and some Howard’s Restor-A-Finish, and it will look terrific.
Sell for $125 obo, subject to some more pricing examples.
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View more and larger pictures of all my listings (and a few things that have not been listed yet) at my PicasaWeb Public Gallery. This is a safe site run by Google:
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Email with any questions, request for full size pictures by email, or your name & phone number for contact and I will respond ASAP.
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Location: 671 (Google Maps) or 871 (Yahoo Maps) or 941 (physical address) East Tri-County Blvd. , Oliver Springs, about 2 miles from West Outer Dr. in Oak Ridge. This is a storage location so an appointment is required.

State: Tennessee  City: Knoxville  Category: Art & Antiques
Art & Antiques in Tennessee for sale

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