Sunday Morning Coffee

Okay, it's really Sunday afternoon, but I worked all night and went to bed at 8 a.m. this morning.

This Farberware model 206 was a recent find, although I have several in this identical or near identical design.

I'm Cuccu for Cuccuma

A few months ago, I picked up an Imusa Moka pot Expresso 3-cup coffee maker. It wasn't vintage, but it's something I always wanted to try.  I'm actually surprised I didn't write about it.  Anyway, it works great and makes good coffee, although it's a little involved and doesn't make a lot of coffee.

So when I saw this at a recent estate sale, I assumed it was another similar coffee maker.

Manning Bowman Bonanza

Yes, it's another toaster and percolator post. What can I say?  These things almost seem to find me rather than the other way around.

A few weeks ago, I spotted a Manning Bowman percolator in all it's glorious Art Deco roundness.

Coffee and Toast

This past weekend I attended a rummage sale at a local church, St. John's Evangelical in Mehlville, Missouri.  Rummage sales seem the last bastion of bargains.  Unfortunately, their primary way of advertising is by signs in front of the church, so I rarely know of them.  I just happened to be driving the route past this church last week and saw the sign.

Silex Science

This 1951 Silex syphon coffee maker joined the collection this past weekend.  I got it for 50% off at $5, plus the estate sale cashier threw in the rest of my items (mostly ephemera) for free, so I was happy.

Percolating Finds

 Okay, Summer is over and the Countdown to Halloween begins next week.  I need to clear out some cobwebs and when I say "cobwebs" I mean coffee pots.

For some reason, this past year produced a bumper crop of them.  I can't resist picking up percolators and other coffee makers, particularly when they're under $5.  I've kept some (okay quite a few), but I've also sold quite a few of them too; all to fund future purchases and to subsidize what I decide to keep.  These are in addition to the Jet O Matic coffee maker I bought last December.  And yes, many of these need a good polishing.

First up is this Mirro copper-colored aluminum coffee pot.  I've seen these attributed to the "Colorama" line, but I haven't found evidence of that.  Colorama was made by Weller Hostess-ware.  I'm not aware of a connection to Mirro.

Jet O Matic Brewing

Yesterday was a particularly good estate saling day, and it happened all at one home.

It began with my weekly perusing of the listings on estatesales.net. There weren't many sales in my area, but one was particularly close and while looking through the posted photos, I saw this:

Guardians of the Coffee

 I found this Guardian Service coffee pot at an estate sale for $1.  I'd seen them before, but never used one, so for a buck, I thought I'd give it a try.

Coffee Breaks

A coffee break to me is when I'm at work and need to step away from my desk and walk to the kitchen where I generally discover the pot has been drained and I need to make a new one, return to my desk and wait 5 minutes and proceed back.  Usually I get involved with something and by the time I get back to the kitchen it's gone again and the cycle repeats. Not much of a break, is it.

But this pamphlet dates from an era when "coffee break" meant neighbors (women, of course) taking a break from their household chores (sorry, ladies, this isn't me talking, it's the '70's) and getting together to"klatch", as my mother called it.  From 1978 and Maxwell House Coffee Times, it's "Coffee Breaks with The Friendly Taste of Home". 

Keeping Your Coffee Honest -- The Secret's Out

I drink a lot of coffee.  A lot of coffee.  I'm not one of those coffee house drinkers though, sipping latte frappe grandes.  Mine is the straight black joe.  There's nothing better than a good cup of coffee, however, there's also nothing worse than a bad one.   And if there's one thing I won't tolerate, it's coffee that lies.  Here's a guide that will stop a deceitful cup of coffee in its tracks.

Tricolator

I'm in the process of shaking off the flu, but I still found the strength and an opportunity to run to an estate sale today.  As long-time followers of this blog might know, I'm a sucker for appliances, particularly toasters and coffee makers.  Modern appliances just lack style.

I found this "Tricolator" 42-cup coffee maker at a sale in Affton today.  I loved the design and it's brushed aluminum skin.  It's hard to see in the pictures, but it's gold-toned.  It stands a collasal 21 inches tall.

The base and lid are aluminum with a faux wood finish.  The handles and lid knob are real wood.

I love the offset lettering.

Google is pretty tight-lipped about Tricolator.  I couldn't find any information on when this was produced, but clearly from of the 1960's.

Now I need to find a home for my old coffee maker.  Always sad to let one go, but you have to make room for the next model.  I mean, how many multi-cup coffee makers do you really need?

A Very Cool Midcentury Estate Sale

Today was the annual Canterbury Place Subdivision sale in Affton.  It's been a tradition to attend it for at least the past 10 years.  While it isn't a grandiose as it once once, it still delivers great finds and today was no exception.  Now to be fair, this estate sale was actually in the subdivision next to Canterbury Place, Saxon Manor.  At one time, Saxon Manor also held it's subdivision-wide sale on the same day and you could spend the entire day roaming the joined neighborhoods.

At one time, garage sales were a good source for midcentury items, but as that generation ages, sadly the best source has become estate sales.  This sale was private, so the prices were reasonable and the crowd was low.  Here are a few of the finds I made (and a few I had to let go).

First up is this fun Danish Modern barware set. Labeled E60 St Park Ave, it features a mixing spoon, a garnish fork, bottle opener and ice tongs.  Oh, and a fine gentleman complete with top hat and cane dru...ahem...sleeping in a rubbish basket.  He was priced at $1.

Nobody Does It Like Yoooooouuuuuu!

As I've written in the past, I like to use vintage appliances.  I generally find them built to last and with more style.   I'm drawn to chrome toasters and percolators in particular.  I found a percolator for $1 at an estate sale in North County about a month ago. 

It's made by a manufacturer long associated with vacuums -- Hoover. I had no idea they had a line of other appliances in the '60's.


Mine dates from 1967 and I only know that because I came across an ad in Google's library of Life magazines.  The June 9th, 1967 issue has the following ad:

 

Sorry for the dual image -- I need to find some image stitching software.

Design-wise, it's actually pretty plain.  I do like the shape and I love that the red Hoover emblem lights up when the coffee is done.  The ad boasts that it brews a cup per minute and I can vouch for that. 

Now if I could only find that 4-slot Hoover toaster...