Coffee grinder

1888-1910

Maker

Arcade Manufacturing Co.

Measurements

11 in x 9-3/8 in x 7-1/8 in (as photographed)

Materials

Iron, unidentified softwood

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation

Accession Number

1979.171

Inscription

The printed label applied above the drawer is very faded but reads in part, “IMPERIAL MILL NO. 705 / Patented . . ."  The drawer has a label with "20" written on it, the purpose of which is unknown.

Provenance

Reportedly used by a member of the Vandegrift or Davis families of Odessa, the grinder was purchased at an auction of household and store furnishings of Mrs. Harrison V. Davis, Odessa, October 27, 1979.

Comments

The hand-powered coffee grinder has a decorated cast-iron cap attached to a wood box that contains a drawer.  The cap encloses a simple mechanism designed to grind coffee beans introduced through the swivel-top opening.  The ground coffee falls into the drawer below the mechanism.

Coffee grinders like this one were made from the mid 19th to early 20th centuries by several manufacturers.