This espresso pot has belonged to my wife Laurette since 1979. She bought it at the original Starbuck's store at Pike Place Market in Seattle, and has used it every day since then. In the 80's she saw this model in a San Francisco art gallery as an example of great Italian design.
I remember pouring her a cup from it on the day we brought Sam home from the hospital, as I cradled him in my free arm. (Newborns require lots of coffee -- for the parents).
About a month ago it was as tarnished and blackened as you would expect after 26 years of continuous use. "Wouldn't you like that cleaned up a little?" I asked. "No! It won't make good coffee any more!"
But I spirited it away to Jae-Mar Brass and Lamp Company on South Elm when she took a business trip to California (Jae-Mar restored all the metal fixtures, hinges, doorknobs, etc. at Vick Commons), and she was very pleased with the result. It cleaned up good, didn't it?
And it still makes great coffee. We're drinking Zona Alta these days, a shade-grown Salvadoran coffee imported by some of Laurette's inlaws. Mmmm.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Another Successful Historic Rehabilitation
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
What a graceful design. Made from brass, right? Imagine, having had it that long, it's become a family heirloom that one day you can pass on to Sam. What a treasure. But the best thing is that you're still using it.
Stainless steel, actually (the photo's not very good).
I hope to pass it on to Sam -- but not for another 35 years or so!
Post a Comment