Luxury Model #10 Coffee Grinder by Enterprise Company, American, circa 1876

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Luxury Model #10 Coffee Grinder by Enterprise Company, American, circa 1876

About the Item

This is the Cadillac of the commercially manufactured coffee grinders of the late 19th century, and a great piece of Victorian Americana. It is one of the largest of the counter top grinders, made for the country general stores by the “Enterprise Manufacturing Company” of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876. It was especially made to be presented and exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876 where inventors and manufacturers were encouraged to bring their newest and most outstanding innovations to show the public, such as telephones (Thomas Edison), sewing machines (Singer), and this coffee grinder by Enterprise. With that in mind they produced a particularly fancy model (No. 10 as indicated on the wooden draw front), incorporating prolific decorative and elaborate multi colored stenciling throughout, and it was hand painted brightly in red and blue. This double wheeled coffee grinder is made of cast iron and very heavy, thus, the stenciling takes on a floral motif designed to soften the hard look of the cast iron to encourage the purchase of coffee. Another unusual aspect of this particular coffee grinder is the large solid urn shaped brass hinged lid hopper at the top to pour in the coffee beans. I have not seen this before; usually they were made of cast iron and the lid slid to the side to open rather than hinged as this one. A cast brass eagle decorates and is mounted on the top of the lid of the brass hopper. Finally, the original white porcelain knob adorns the front of the wooden drawer. The Enterprise Manufacturing Company was rewarded for their efforts in producing such an attractive and functional coffee grinder, by being presented with the centennial medal for their invention and “contributions to the American people” by the United States Centennial Commission. It is interesting to note that the fancy stenciling was applied to both sides of both wheels and to the interior column. There is copious embossing throughout attesting to its patent date and manufacture “pat. ‘73 Enterprise Manufacturing Co..Philadelphia Pa.” Also "American" is embossed (see image). The oval centennial gold seal is applied to the center column (see image) stating “Centennial Exhibition Awarded by United States Centennial Commission” (see image). Being of large size and heavy, this grinder would have been stabilized by mounting it to a wooden countertop with screws or bolts through the four holes provided (one on each side) in the middle sides of the base. The Enterprise Manufacturing Company was established in 1864 near Independence Hall by John Gulick Baker; with the goal of “easily custom grinding coffee beans to preferences”. To operate: lift the hinged brass lid to the brass hopper and pour in the desired amount of coffee beans; adjust the nut to the fineness desired for the coffee beans; the grinds work their way down to the wooden drawer below which is opened up (see image) for removal. The condition of this coffee grinder is excellent, and in all original bright paint and stenciling, with no restoration of any kind. The original wood handle is provided on the wheel in addition to the blue painted adjusting wing nut. The wheels rotate perfectly and it could still be used today to grind coffee (note 3 images of interior mechanism and grinders). Dimensions: 32” high x. 20” wide x 19 1/2” deep (diameter of the wheel) Provenance: from the prolific collector of Americana and mechanical banks Ferdinand Weider, Berkeley, California, then to my own personal collection in 1990. If you collect coffee grinders, this would more than likely be the best example in your collection, or if you are simply collector of Fine Americana and only want one example, this would be the one.

Creator:
Enterprise Manufacturing Company (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 20 in (50.8 cm)Depth: 19.5 in (49.53 cm)
Style:
Folk Art (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Iron,Wood,Cast,Hand-Crafted,Hand-Painted,Molded
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1870-1879
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1876
Condition:
Seller Location:
Incline Village, NV
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU973214271501