Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

IRONING BOARD & ROLLER SET (UKRAINE)

Date Range From

1900

Date Range To

1910

Materials

WOOD

No. Pieces

2

Description

.1 ROLLER BOARD. 4.1 CM HT. X 9.5 CM WTH. X 6.6 CM LTH. BIRCH OR MAPLE. HAND SAWN AND CARVED. CIRCULAR DEPRESSED WORN IN BACK. POLISHED FROM USE. CORRUGATED SURFACE; MINOR CRACKING AT END OF HANDLE. .2 IRONING BOARD OR DOWELL. 65.1CM (L) X 3.2CM (D). HOLE DRILLED THROUGH ONE END (0.9 CM DIA.) SPLINTERED AT DISTAL END. CLOTH ROLLED ON TOOL.

Subjects

MAINTENANCE T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

CLOTHES OR LINEN WHEN DAMP ARE WOUND AROUND DOWEL & THEN ROLLED BACK AND FORTH ACROSS A FLAT SURFACE PRODUCING A SMOOTH, IRONED FABRIC OR GARMENT. LITERAL TRANSLATION FROM RUSSIAN, "RIDGED BOARD AND ROLLER". *UPDATE* IN 2010, NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT, CONTACTED ELSIE MORRIS NEE KONKIN (DAUGHTER OF ELIZABETH KONKIN) TO GAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DONATION AND ITS CONNECTION WITH THE SOUTHERN ALBERTA DOUKHOBORS. SEE BELOW. ACCORDING TO MORRIS THE MANGLE CONSISTS OF A “ROOBEL” (ROD?) AND “KATALKA” (NOTCHED BOARD?) – MORRIS WAS NOT SURE WHICH TERM RELATED TO EACH PART OF THE MANGLE. IT WAS USED ON A HARD FLAT SURFACE. ACCORDING TO MORRIS, THE MANGLE WAS HANDMADE. MANGLES COULD BE MADE IN DIFFERENT SIZES IN ORDER TO SUIT THE AGE OF THE USER. HER FAMILY “COULDN’T AFFORD NOT TO MAKE THINGS.” MORRIS DID NOT KNOW WHO MADE THE MANGLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THE ARTIFACT WAS MADE BY MORRIS’S FATHER, WILLIAM KONKIN, WHO WAS A CARPENTER. SHE SAID THINGS WERE PASSED DOWN IN THE FAMILY RATHER THAN BEING THROWN OUT. ACCORDING TO MORRIS, THE MANGLE WAS USED EVERY TIME HER MOTHER, ELSIE (WISHLOW) KONKIN DID LAUNDRY. SHE WOULD ALLOW HER CLOTHES TO AIR DRY AND THEN SHE WOULD LIGHTLY MOISTEN THEM BEFORE USING THE MANGLE TO IRON THEM. WHEN KONKIN NO LONGER USED THE MANGLE, SHE GAVE IT TO MORRIS, WHO USED IT TO TAKE THE WRINKLES OUT OF HER LINENS. MORRIS DONATED THE MANGLE BECAUSE HER CHILDREN WERE NOT INTERESTED IN IT. MORRIS HAD ANOTHER MANGLE SO SHE DECIDED TO DONATE THIS EXAMPLE TO THE GALT. WHILE HER CHILDREN WERE NOT CURIOUS ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO USE A MANGLE, MORRIS SAID, “NOW MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS GETTING INTERESTED.” THE KONKINS WERE A RUSSIAN-SPEAKING FAMILY FROM THE TOWN OF SHOULDICE, ALBERTA, NEAR CALGARY. THEY AND MANY OTHER RUSSIAN FAMILIES COMPOSED THAT TOWN'S DOUKHOBOR COLONY. IN 2016, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN CONDUCTED FROM A TWO-PART INTERVIEW WITH KONKIN'S DAUGHTER, ELSIE MORRIS. A FULL HISTORY OF THE KONKIN FAMILY WAS CREATED USING THAT INTERVIEW AND CAN BE FOUND WITH THE RECORD P20160003002.

Catalogue Number

P19672939000

Acquisition Date

1967-12

Collection

Museum

Less detail