Antique Italian Hand-Crank Coffee Grinder by Tre Spade - 9"

This early 20th-century Italian coffee grinder by FB Tre Spade has a distinctive cylindrical body in painted metal, vertically fluted around the sides and finished in a wonderfully aged terracotta-orange color. Warm, well-worn wood forms the molded upper and lower rims and the turned handle finial of the crank, while the domed metal cover and exposed mechanism have developed a deep, almost blackened patina. Losses to the original paint, scattered scratches and areas of oxidation reveal the metal beneath and give the surface considerable depth. The embossed maker’s mark to the front incorporates the initials FB, for Fratelli Bertoldo, and the three crossed swords of the Tre Spade brand. For decorative use.

The domed cover pivots to the side to open the hopper for filling with coffee beans. Once ground by turning the hand crank, the coffee collects in the cylindrical lower body, which can be released from the upper section to access the contents.

Tre Spade was among the pioneers of Italian coffee-grinder production at the turn of the 20th century, which gives this surviving example an added historical interest. With its warm faded color, worn wood and visibly worked surfaces, it has particular decorative appeal today, bringing a warm vintage accent and a rich layer of texture to open shelving, a countertop or a collection of antique culinary objects.