BY SUSAN MCTIGUE
CORRESPONDENT
CLOSTER, N.J.—Another film shoot at the Lustron House in Closter concluded with a gift to the ongoing restoration project. A short film titled “Ironrite,” directed by Clayton Combe, dealt with a family and its Ironrite mangle, a mechanical appliance that might have been found in a 1950 household like that of the Lustron. The mangle has two rollers built into a frame and is cranked to wring water from wet laundry and to press the item without having to use an iron. Towels, sheets and tablecloths particularly would be run through the mangle and thus cut down on the time it would take to iron these items by hand.
When the film shoot was completed, the production company gave the Ironrite mangle to the Lustron to be displayed in its utility room, just as it would have been originally nearly 70 years ago.
The historic Lustron House is open to the public on the second Saturday of each month from noon to 2 p.m. for a glimpse of what life was like inside this unusual steel mid-century family home. The Ironrite mangle will be on display. Anyone interested in becoming involved with the Friends of the Lustron group is encouraged to attend a meetings at 11 a.m. prior to each Saturday open house.
An exhibition is planned this spring of vintage aprons dating from 1950-1970. Loans or donations will be welcomed, so look deeply into drawers, closets or trunks to see if any aprons from this period might be shared. The Lustron House is located at the intersection of Durie Avenue and Legion Place in Closter. For more information, visit Friends of the Hess Lustron House on Facebook.