Pierre Saulnier, a man passionate about irons!

In the years 1954-1955, this man passionate about irons did his apprenticeship with his cousins in Algérie, in a dry cleaner's employing around fifty people. Having become a passionate collector, he explains that dry cleaning refers to cleaning with solvents, while laundering is washing with detergent. Returning to France because of the events in that country, Pierre Saulnier worked in a large Parisian factory, processing up to 16 tons of laundry per week, using sophisticated machines and various solvents such as perchloroethylene, benzine, trichloroethylene, and essence F. He recalls: "The dry cleaning employees did the run in Paris, collecting dirty laundry from the various shops that belonged to them and then bringing it to the factory for us to process."

PROFESSIONAL AND COLLECTOR

Returning to France in 1962, Pierre and his wife opened a dry cleaner's in La Valette-du-Var, after managing an establishment in Le Mourillon, in Toulon. He also shared his knowledge as a teacher at the Chambre des Métiers du Var, where he trained many apprentices. Beyond his profession, Pierre has a unique relationship with his exceptional collection of irons. This family passion goes back to his grandmothers, one an ironer in Seineet-Marne and the other a laundress and embroiderer. He recovered old irons, testaments to the expertise of yesteryear. Pierre recalls with emotion: "My maternal grandmother, a laundress and embroiderer, made tablecloths and items for future newlyweds. I recovered the irons that heated on the wood and coal stove of my paternal grandmother. She had a large ironing board, put her irons to heat on the stove, and ironed the laundry. I recovered all my grandmothers' equipment and did this job from the age of 15 to 65." Over the years, Pierre has participated in more than 250 exhibitions in France and abroad, showcasing his impressive collection of over a thousand pieces. Other items complete the collection of irons, such as a washing agitator, a collar-starching machine, a ribbon-ironing machine, a laundress's stove surrounded by irons, and Chinese silk irons.

MORE THAN 1,000 PIECES

Chaque pièce livre une histoire, illustrant l'évolution des techniques et des matériaux au fil du temps. « Ma première exposition date de 1985 à Toulon. J’ai adhéré à un club de fers à repasser. J’ai plus de mille pièces de toutes les époques, de toutes les nationalités et de différents fabricants (Godin, Camion Frères). Les différents modèles ont suivi l’évolution de la société, la transformation des matières. Suivant le tissu et les époques, le fer était de différentes formes et fabriqué avec différentes matières. Pour les tailleurs militaires, c’étaient les fers à braises par exemple » raconte ce collectionneur. Aujourd'hui, Pierre souhaite céder sa collection, espérant créer un musée dans le Var pour préserver ce patrimoine et le transmettre aux jeunes générations. « C'est un héritage à conserver et à montrer », affirme-t-il avec conviction. Son rêve est de voir sa collection exposée dans une commune, afin que chacun puisse découvrir l'évolution de ce métier fascinant. •