Coffee mill

The Coffee mill is an apparatus which makes it possible to grind grains of Café.

History of the advent of the coffee mills

The arrival of the Café in Europe with the XVIe century implies the creation of a specific object, the " coffee mill " , allowing to crush this seed by preserving to the maximum its Flavor S.

It appears quickly that the mills with spices are partially adapted. To crush the coffee, the first known method is the use of a mortar with torrefied seeds.

The first truths mills appear in Europe and Turkey at the same time at the 17th century. In Turkey, the mills are composed of a Cylindre in Cuivre or Laiton. Engraved or decorated invaluable stones, the mechanism is composed of a vertical axis which actuates a striated nut. They are often equipped with a foldable crank which lines up in the top of the mill.

The first French mills are models of luxury for the living rooms of the large nobility. Saint-Etienne will be an important center of production of these exceptional models, using the knowledge to make precision mechanics applied for a long time in the manufacture of the Arme S. the most beautiful collection of coffee mills of living room is with the Musée Secq of the Small towers to Rouen in Normandy.

In France the first mills " of series " are called “model Louis XIV”. They have a body cut in only one piece of wood. For this reason they are qualified monoxyle. They are generally in Noyer. They were manufactured with the request by the Taillandier S or the marshal-shoeing. So at the time these mills were luxury articles, it should be known that today, a traditional model Louis XIV is negotiated between 1500 and 3000 euros. Progressively of the development of the consumption of Coffee, of the strictly functional mills make their appearance about the middle of the 18th century. They are in general equipped with a mounting foot making it possible to fix them at the table. You can find a description in the Encyclopédie of Diderot and of Alembert of this type of mill “mill funnel” because of their form says.

The model-star of the time is the model says sand glass. He is composed of 2 cones connected by a fixing to bayonet He is equipped him also with a fastening.

The types of mill are very different according to the areas where the coffee develops, like the Holland, the Spain.

The 19th century, century of the industrialization, corresponds to the true popularization of the Café. The reason is also historical because the century begins in 1806 by a takeover by force from Napoleon i, (whose personal mill is one of most famous of the collection Malongo…) who founds the blockade against all the British goods. In reprisals the Britanniques run the boats which deliver exotic products in Europe. Stocks accumulate.

After the Battle of Waterloo, these released stocks cause a slump in prices of the coffee.

The suppliers develop the mills of counter then so that each grocer can provide coffee ground to its customers. This time also corresponds to the great period of the horizontal tree mill. He sees also an explosion of the forms and mechanisms. The use of steel allows the advent of a true industry of the mill coffee.

The XIXe century, it is also the period during which the cubic mill will make its appearance while being essential as the best solution for an individual use. The Flemish mill wood with post with its opened bowl, then the mill Peugeot in France starting from 1840.

The 20th century corresponds to the apogee but also to died of the coffee mill. The Peugeot adventure with a glorious episode mural mill. Then electric mills until 1975.

History of the coffee mills Peugeot

Peugeot is famous today thanks to its cars, it started at the XIXe century with coffee mills of household of cubic form, which one still finds in all the vacuum-attic of France.

Peugeot begins its industry from coffee mills about 1840 in the Doubs. The Family Peugeot, originating in the Country of Montbeliard, had on its grounds of the water mills which marked the sites of future factories.

See also: Family Peugeot

Jean-Pierre Peugeot (1734-1814) leaves in heritage with its sons a dyeing, an oil mill and a mill. The French revolution allows the fastening of the Pays of Montbeliard the France. Two oldest sons of Jean-Pierre Peugeot, Jean-Frederic (1770-1822) and Jean Pierre (1768-1852) (see Family Peugeot) transform the mill of the place known as of the Under cratet into steel foundry (1810) while joining Jacques Maillard Salins. This factory provides the clock industries out of steel springs, then as from 1833, of the large hardware, then band saws, tools.

As from 1840, it launches a cubic coffee mill out of wooden, with interior steel mechanism.

The oldest trace of sale of coffee mills goes back to 1840, according to the accounts books of the company " Peugeot older brothers " : the principal firm was founded in 1832.

In 1846, they form a partnership “Peugeot elder and Jackson brothers”, the production increases and diversifies. To the range of tools coffee mills are added. Cubic mills have their drawer blocked with before by a brass plate fixed slightly above the drawer by a screw and carrying the inscription “Peugeot-Jackson-Bridge-with-Roide Doubs”, used of 1866 to 1877.

Then company names follow one another progressively of the modifications of statutes:

" Peugeot elder and Co " with same lockplate, bearing like emblem an elephant, of 1878 to 1893.
" Peugeot and Co " from 1894 to 1910, with the same type of plate which, in addition to brass, can be out of steel. This one can be replaced by a small traditional plate, not serving more block-drawer, fixed by two screws.

From 1910 to 1938, one finds nothing any more but plates fixed out of brass or brass nickelled, in rhombus with the angles rounded, of two sizes, always “With the elephant” and with inscriptions “Peugeot and Co” “Bridge-of-Roide, Doubs”. The elephant of Peugeot and Co is the equivalent of the lion of " Peugeot brothers ". In a current way, one says “Peugeot Bridge-of-Roide” to indicate these mills. The two companies are gathered in 1933 but the production still continues under each mark a few years. The mills Peugeot-Bridge-of-Roide are fewer than Peugeot brothers.

They are “Peugeot brothers” which gave to the cubic mills out of wooden their notoriety and made of it the symbol of the coffee mill. The cubic ones out of wood were the most important production of the Peugeot mills. They exist in 56 different models representing 280 versions, if one differentiates the wood turpentines, the sizes, the material of the caps, the colors, the decorations.

Initiated in 1840, the sales continued until 1960: “a hundred and twenty years of manufacture which testify to the exceptional quality of these mills”, according to the general catalog published in 1993 by the museum Peugeot of Sochaux.

The first decorated mills, with blue or polychrome drawings, appear in 1904 to cease in 1915. Others, of a different style, are done as from 1930. From 1930, in front of the multiplication of the cheap models, Peugeot produces standard models, without mark, for the department stores, BHV, Samaritaine… Some are sold to wholesalers who affix their own brand: J.L. Norly, the Winner, Dalto. The “Belgian” models with external hopper (closed bowl) with or without posts were sold only with export

The “quiet mills” go back to 1938. They are equipped with a sheet hopper absorbing the vibrations of the mechanism and remove any deformation. The oldest plate, going back to 1851, carries the inscription “Peugeot Frères of Hérimoncourt patented S.D.DU.G. ”. It is a small rectangular plate with the cut corners, out of brass. In 1855, Hérimoncourt is replaced by Valentigney. From 1865, the plate is ovalized and as from 1880 to the famous Peugeot lion, known as “Lion appears on arrow”, of profile, upright, moving on its four legs, balance on an arrow. From 1910 to 1941, it is done as well out of brass (yellow) or nickelled brass. The octagonal plate - without lion - marked Peugeot brothers with a crescent and “movement forged steel” is affixed on cheap mills sold in department stores, between 1934 and 1936.

The transfer makes its entry in 1936. It decorates a gray and oval sticker marked, in black, of a lion on arrow and the words Peugeot brothers (1936-1945). From 1938 à1961, this sticker takes the form of one ecu, rather broad, thinned as from 1950.

The cranks are out of steel round polished or, as from 1890, nickelled on the models of luxury. The sheet caps are painted bronzes or green, out of brass or nickelled brass. The loading is done by the back, until 1935, by the line then until 1960.

Between 1932 and 1934, one sees nickelled caps with loading by the front. Between 1935 and 1939, the nickelled cap is with loading by the side. Peugeot also marketed sheet mills. The first appears in the catalog of 1872. It is manufactured until 1936, whose many ones are painted way wood, oak or walnut tree. Peugeot also produced mills cylindrical, called of voyage, soldier, or even “Turkish” (model H). The model G being most famous for the collectors.

After the First World War, Peugeot had the merit to popularize the mural mill of household. Peugeot took for model of the American mills of the beginning of the XXe century. The first, out of varnished wood, resemble high generally metal rectangular boxes, on sale of 1920 to 1935.

In 1923 It markets earthenware the mural hopper mills white or decorated with a Dutch mill. It does not act more than one compact box containing the three parts of the coffee mill. On a small plank out of wooden a long rectangular hopper is pressed, with round edges, above an aluminum casing, containing the crushing mechanism, and on which the crank engages. Grinding falls into a container out of graduated glass whose higher edges slip under a support with drains. The mechanism, known as also movement, is out of forged steel. The lid is done out of worked brass finished by a nipple, or out of flat brass. Produced between 1936 and 1961, the range of the French provinces, particularly attracted the attention, it is composed of ten specimens in warmly coloured chromolithographies.

The crank changes with time. Initially with only one curve, it takes, after 1932, a form in S round or openwork punt. As from 1955, it is right and cadmium-coated. As from 1932, the casing is out of cast iron. The movements have such a reputation that many casings Peugeot KM9 equip with the models of various marks, with hoppers of particular manufacture. “All our mills are quiet”, affirm the advertisements then. Hoppers shaped, trapezoidal, including the mechanism, give a modern line to the last mural mills, out of white earthenware in 1937-1938, enamelled steel of your cream of 1948 to 1951, of your white between 1952 and 1955.

See too

External bonds

Coffee mill Peugeot
Collection of Spial
Saint-Etienne cradle of the manufacture of the coffee mill in France

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