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The first iron wasn't really meant to be heated up you just had to apply pressure. It was more of a hand sized stone with a handle on it. And water may have been applied to dampen linen for it to be easier to smooth out. http://www.oldandinteresting.com/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx
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It was later found out by the chinease that it was easier to smooth out clothes if a metal were heated up. So they would place glowing coals in a pan and while one person would keep the clothes straight the other would go over it with the pan and it would smooth it out. http://www.oldandinteresting.com/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx
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Blacksmith started to forge simple flat irons that you would have to heat the bottom of it with a fire or stove and would stay hot for a short period of time, which wasn't that efficient. THese are thought to have first been made somewhere in Italy in the late middle ages. http://www.oldandinteresting.com/antique-irons-smoothers-mangles.aspx
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These clothes irons were made so that the heat would last longer. If you take out the inside the inside of the iron you have a little room that you can stick glowing coal and could stay hotter for longer periods of time. http://www.objectlessons.org/houses-and-homes-victorians/box-iron--slug-victorian-original/s59/a962/
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The invention of the electric clothes iron was invented by Henry W. Seeley in NY, USA. It was invented so that it could more efficient. It could be heated for longer periods of time than the other ones. It included a thermostat to maintain constant temperature, temperature control so you could select operating temperatures, and and a water reservoir to hold water for when you are not using steam burst. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothes_iron
