We went to Stroud yesterday and I spotted a design classic coffee icon in a local antique shop - a Cona vacuum coffee percolator. It was minus the spirit stove that heats the water, so I managed to snaffle it up for £20.
A much sought after design classic, the Cona Coffee Maker is still produced today by the Cona Catering Equipment Company. It was designed by Abraham Games, a graphic designer and keen inventor. The Cona Coffee Maker is his most famous piece of domestic product design and the only such object he ever created. The commission came from the head of Cona, who happened to be a friend, following Games' complaint that their machine was clumsy. The first model, called the Cona Rex, came out in 1950, using scrap aluminium from wartime production. The handle has a sharper downward curve and the framework is more solid, painted cream or black. In 1962 the model was updated with the cantilevered frame forming an unbroken arc with the plastic handle of the jug. The jug floats in space, supported only at the neck.
Someone is selling a complete one, but with a broken handle, on eBay as 'spares or repair' for £19.99 (collection only) and I'm hoping they'll split the burner off for me and post it, else I'll just buy the complete unit and have spare glass bowls. You can get new spirit burners on eBay for about £27, but that's a bit steep just for a burner.
Someone is selling a complete one, but with a broken handle, on eBay as 'spares or repair' for £19.99 (collection only) and I'm hoping they'll split the burner off for me and post it, else I'll just buy the complete unit and have spare glass bowls. You can get new spirit burners on eBay for about £27, but that's a bit steep just for a burner.
Those who have used Conas swear they make simply the best coffee due to the innovative syphon mechanism.
While I try to find a replacement spirit burner, I've put a tea light in the top half to make an up-cycled table lamp.
No comments:
Post a Comment