Dr. Lori: Valuable coffee grinders highly collectible

Since coffee is an age-old hot drink, coffee grinders date back to the 9th century.

As coffee served many people from diverse cultures worldwide, grinding coffee beans was essential. Today, the machines for grinding coffee beans are highly collectible.

In Europe, the coffee grinder was patented by a German inventor named Friedrich Gottlob Keller in 1842. Based on this German coffee grinder, other coffee grinders followed suit. American coffee grinders were introduced thanks to a Maryland dentist named Thomas Bruff, who understood that grinding coffee using different pressure points would have varying results. Like one’s teeth, a good coffee grinder should be able to grind coffee beans coarsely and finely.

For Bruff, numbers on the coffee grinder were used to select a finely or coarsely ground coffee bean. The higher the number set on the coffee grinder, the finer the resulting ground coffee beans. The lower the number, the more coarse the resulting ground coffee. Finely ground or coarsely ground coffee would taste different from one another. Bruff’s first coffee grinder was wall-mounted.

The wall-mounted coffee grinders would drop the ground beans into a storage container beneath the grinding wheel and crank, allowing gravity to aid in the process. Sought-after antique coffee grinders date from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century made by various manufacturers in America and in Europe.

In order to identify valuable antique and vintage coffee grinders, one needs to know the various types of coffee grinders. Some coffee grinder types, designs and styles include single and double-wheel models, wall-mounted coffee grinders, top-hand crank box models, cast iron pedestal models and large-scale floor models.

Wall-mounted coffee grinders were known for their convenience. Some were marketed by Charles Parker Co. and other Connecticut-based firms of the 19th century. The tabletop coffee grinder models were used in private homes. Large floor model grinders were typically used in general stores, institutions and restaurants to grind large amounts of coffee. Home coffee grinders were introduced in the mid-1890s and were used until circa 1940. The top hand crank models featured around metal top cast in metal with decorative elements and a wooden box and drawer at the bottom to catch the grounds.

Antique coffee grinders range in value from $50 to $1,000 depending on factors such as style, condition, type, materials, maker, design and age. Some coffee grinders are worth more if they are made by a prestigious manufacturing company or are of a special type.

In America, these are the most prominent manufacturers of coffee grinders: Landers Frary & Clark Coffee Mill, New Britain, CT, Charles Parker Co., Meriden, CT, Enterprise Mfg. Co. of PA, Philadelphia, PA, Wrightsville Hardware Co., Wrightsville, PA, and Arcade Manufacturing Co., Freeport, IL.

Top coffee grinder manufacturers in Europe include: Armin Trosser of Germany, PeDe (PeterDienes) of Holland, the Netherlands, Kenrick and Spong of England, and Elma and MSF Co., both of Spain.

Collectors look for various styles and types of coffee grinders. Decoration impacts the appraised value of vintage and antique coffee grinders. For example, some coffee grinders are decorated with flowers, geometric patterns, advertising information and kitchen imagery. Some decorations are reserved for the hoppers or canisters. These decorated holders are colored pressed glass, hand-painted wood boxes, transferware ceramic, and the list goes on. Kitchen motifs and other imagery are found on coffee grinders like flowers, fruits, sun and moon, coffee cups, alphabet, etc. When seeking out antique or vintage coffee grinders, look for good condition, unique styles, working parts, original hardware, decorative motifs and well-known brand names.

Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author and award-winning TV personality Dr. Lori appears on "The Curse of Oak Island" on the History Channel. Dr. Lori gives appraisal value information at www.DrLoriV.com, www.Youtube.com/DrLoriV, or call (888) 431-1010.