Mill, Coffee

Object Name: Mill, Coffee

Object ID: 1978.079.36

Creator: Kings?

Description: Coffee grinder. Circular cast iron body and sheet metal on rectangular wood base, cast shoulder that accepts sides and bottom edge of hopper. Horizontal mechanism mounted on medium-brown, hardwood board that is 0.9" thick. Two mounting bolts with square nuts on backside of board. Handle has an S-curve to a flat iron shaft which has a turned-wood handle at one end and a square opening at other end. Handle fits over the square end of mill shaft and is held in place with a chamfered steel nut. Medium-brown turned wood handle is 3" long and 1" in diameter. It is slightly tapered from end toward the bare metal arm and has turned finger groove near front end. End of handle is fastened to shaft with washer and end of shaft is peened over the washer. Sheet iron hopper triangular in shape with sheet iron lid. Two strap pivot hinges with staples that are driven into top of mounting board. One hinge is broken. Bottom surface of hopper lid has a small gallery around edge. Top edge of hopper is a rolled edge. Hinges on sides of hopper that have three brass tacks through them on both sides. Hopper fits into triangular slot in mill body. Mill body is cast iron and is circular with two flanges on sides for mounting screws. Exit shoot out bottom for finished product to fall out. On inside of hopper is a rectangular hole in cast-iron body through which beans can pass. On back of mounting board is rectangular plate screwed to board with flathead slotted screws. Wingnut and shaft pass through mounting board and is used to adjust the grounds of the product.. Stamped brass oval name plate on front of hopper and pressed oval groove in hopper surrounding plate. Fastened with central rivet. Border band on brass, marked "KINGS PATENT" with three decorative flowers at end of band. "COFFEE-MILL". In center of oval is "BEST / QUALITY". Center portion is slightly convex. Only has small portion of black finish left. Lot of rusting on inside and outside surfaces of body and hopper. Brad missing on left hopper flange. Hopper lid is intact and slightly bent. The adjusting screw and bracket on back are rusted and dirty. Evidence of device being mounted in some architectural placement that can be seen from paint pattern edges on back and edge of mounting board.

Material: Wood
Metal
Iron

Dimensions: H-9.9 W-8.3 D-7.1 inches

Provenance: From collection assembled by James Cowan Sawyer (1872-1944) in Durham, NH. Donated by his sons, Charles H. and George F. Sawyer.

Credit Line: Gift of Charles H. and George F. Sawyer

People: Sawyer, George F. (1902-1992), Sawyer, Charles H. (1906-2005), Sawyer, James Cowan (1872-1944)

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