Percolating Finds

 Okay, Summer is over and the Countdown to Halloween begins next week.  I need to clear out some cobwebs and when I say "cobwebs" I mean coffee pots.

For some reason, this past year produced a bumper crop of them.  I can't resist picking up percolators and other coffee makers, particularly when they're under $5.  I've kept some (okay quite a few), but I've also sold quite a few of them too; all to fund future purchases and to subsidize what I decide to keep.  These are in addition to the Jet O Matic coffee maker I bought last December.  And yes, many of these need a good polishing.

First up is this Mirro copper-colored aluminum coffee pot.  I've seen these attributed to the "Colorama" line, but I haven't found evidence of that.  Colorama was made by Weller Hostess-ware.  I'm not aware of a connection to Mirro.

Next is a pot I'm betting everyone had in their home growing up (if you're of a certain age, of course).  This pot is made by Corning and is the "Blue Cornflower" pattern.  I discovered when attempting to sell this pot on eBay that they are illegal to sell because they were recalled due to the metal top detaching from the pot base which can obviously lead to some hot times in your nether regions.  I still see these sold in antique malls and estate sales.

I also found this tiny version which I later learned is actually from a child's playset (and is worth very little).

I ended up selling this Corning Electromatic "See-Thru" model E1108 coffee pot because it was still new, sealed in the box. It was very tempting to open.

These Farberware coffee pot aren't the fanciest pots by any stretch, but they get the job done quickly and are in fairly good demand on eBay.  Here's Jr. and Father.

I found the same pot above in the basement of an estate sale this past summer and was about to buy it, but when checking the interior for parts, I discovered the dried corpses of 2 mice. Needless to say, it stayed in the basement.

Now this Farberware pot has some style.  It dates from the 1920s.  The bad thing is, it takes a larger style plug than the typical coffeemaker, so I have to use the cord from my 1920's Star Toaster (seen in the background in this photo).  I can't make toast and coffee at the same time. I'm keeping an eye out for an orphaned cord at sales.

I have a couple of these General Electric 18P40 at the moment and have sold one in the past. They're fairly desirable.  Of the two I currently have, one has a black handle and the other has a brown Bakelite handle. Other than that, they are identical.

This General Electric model A4P15 has some nice styling.  It probably dates from the early '70's when "Harvest Gold" was the preferred color.  It has a visible cup measurement built into the handle which is nice and practical.

I was really excited when I found this 1940's General Electric model 129P18 vacuum coffee maker in the basement of a house in Florissant, Missouri.  It was a long drive there and this would have made it worthwhile.  Unfortunately, the top seal/lid was broken, thus rendering the vacuum null.  It's still a great looking pot and I did end up selling it for parts for $75.

This Proctor-Silex model 70101 dates from February 1974 (stamped on the bottom). With it's up cast lights , it's quite spectacular. Unfortunately, I didn't get a shot of it with coffee in it (just a water test).  I sold this one for a good price, but sadly, USPS managed to break it during shipping.  I've found the best way to ship these style pots is to disconnect the glass body from the handle/base.  This is done via a clip on the handle.  I think being clipped in place puts too much stress on the glass, particularly during shipping.

This Proctor-Silex model 70503 predates the above and is from December 1971, perhaps someone's Christmas present.  This one is lacking the the up cast lighting, so is less desirable.

And then there's Pyrex.  This Pyrex percolator is all Pyrex, including the basket and stem. It has a Bakelite handle.

This Pyrex model is the ubiquitous coffee maker of the 1960's and 70's and the one most of us remember from our childhood. It seemed like everyone had one of these.

Up next are a couple of Regal Poly-perks. They are both model 7508s.  This one in a floral pattern.

And this is a glorious burnt orange starburst pattern.

Next is this Guardianware Dripolator from the 1940s.  It's all aluminum with a glass lid.  The downside of these are you have to boil your water separately and pour into the top where it proceeds to "driploate" through the grounds down into the pot. These were highly collectible in the 1990's, but have cooled significantly.

This 1950's Sunbeam model AP10 boasts the stylized 1939 New York World's Fair Trylon and Perisphere design that was featured on so many of Sunbeams products. This design matches my Sunbeam T-9 toaster.

This unassuming percolator is a 1960's Westinghouse HP85-2.  It has the visible cup measurement in the handle like the General Electric A4P15 above.

The interesting feature on this pot is the inverted basket.  You fill the basket with grounds upside down and pop the stem in place.

This feature is called "Pressure-Flo".  I've never seen it on another percolator, but this is my only Westinghouse I've ever owned.  Because of its design, it doesn't perk like a typical percolator, but rather makes a jet-like sound similar to my Jet O Matic.

We now move on to the urns.  You know those large percolators your parents only dragged out for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

First up is this Danish Modern Regal, model 1330.  This is my preferred maker for our family get togethers.

This later Regal model 1730 reflects America's love of Avocado green in the late 1960's.  This mostly-plastic coffee maker has a "cheap" feel to it.

This recent find was attractive to me not only because it had the original box, had a great design, but because it was a 22 cup coffee maker instead of the standard 30-cup.  With our family gatherings, sadly, growing smaller due to the passing of the older generation, we just don't need that much coffee.  I drink it for days after a party and still end up throwing out a lot.  I know you don't have to make the full 30 cups, but this Mirro Party Perk also takes up a smaller footprint on the buffet.

I honestly debated whether I should pick up this Cory Party "Perc".  But here's what it had going for it:  it's a Cory, who made very good products, but just never got as big as their competition, so there are far fewer out there. It still had the box.  It was only $5.  AND IT HAS A BLUE READY INDICATOR LIGHT!

Of course, I was disappointed to learn it turns the standard red when the coffee is done.  Oh well.

And finally (yes, I feel the winds of your collective sighs of relief), is this old school stovetop percolator.  It liked it's unusual shape and art deco Bakelite handle.

That covers all the coffee pot finds for the past year.  But let me warn you: I found as many toasters this past year.  Stay tuned for a future toaster blowout post.