Is this the most beautiful hand grinder ever made? I came across this hand mill while doing my usual browse around eBay for good deals on unique coffee gear (keep an eye out for similar things tagged here as “find of the day“). It’s from the 1960’s, created for Victor Cast Ware by British designer Robert Welch (1929-2000) – who apparently helped define British modernism, having been influenced by Scandinavian functionalism:
“As a student, Robert Welch made two extended visits to Scandinavia, studying design in Stockholm and working with the silversmith Theodor Olsen in Bergen. The experience made a great impression. Of the British designers of his generation, Welch was the most clearly influenced by Scandinavia in his functional precision, his love of the clean line.”
And it shows – I love the mix of materials and forms, from the spherical wood handle and the beefy yet graceful cast iron frame, to the contrasting glazed white ceramic cup that catches the ground coffee; it’s a tactile and visual feast. The piece I saw on eBay went for $60 plus shipping, but I missed out on it. If you see one of these for sale and don’t want it yourself, hit me up on Twitter with the tip :)
Here are a few more images I’ve scavenged from the web:
1 comment
Amit Ahuja says:
Jul 4, 2014
A simple and unique thing for all kitchen counters I guess. It will not be a messy thing like others and no maintenance also