this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2025
83 points (100.0% liked)

Coffee

8518 readers
4 users here now

☕ - The hot beverage that powers the world!

Coffee gadgets - It's always great to learn about new gadgets. Please share your favorite hardware or full setups. It might inspire newcomers to experiment!

Local businesses - Please promote your local businesses. If you are not the owner of the business you are promoting, kindly ask the owner if it's okay. It would be great if the business has a physical store to include an exterior or interior shot.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I saw this in a flee market and found it simultaneously horrifying and hilarious. I'm curious about how something like this might have come to be?

1000005790

top 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] zabadoh@ani.social 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

It's got a weird mix of features that don't match.

The mammy figure and side art appear to be bolted on a spring lever espresso machine, even the plates around the drip tray appear to be added on.

The Mammy's arms as the lever would be a feat of engineering to be functional because the force is in the wrong place if this was adapted from a center lever machine.

The only side lever machine that I can find that might serve as the basis for this is a vintage Gaggia that was made up until the 70s. https://greatinfusions.com/vintage-gaggia-compact-82-espresso-machine/

The front has some anachronistically modern features, like the lighted rocker switch to the bottom left that is typical of 1980s appliances, and that small rectangular plastic looking water level window to the left which again points to something more recent.

The copper tubing as the steam wands doesn't make sense as everything that looks like this has the flexible wands.

[–] anytimesoon 1 points 2 days ago

Some great observations there. I hadn't really thought about the power switch, but that does look completely out of place and modern for this machine.

[–] DocMcStuffin@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I’m curious about how something like this might have come to be?

Racism + money + a love of coffee.

Rough guess, it was produced between 1940s and 60s.

[–] zabadoh@ani.social 2 points 3 days ago

After 1946 when the lever espresso machine was invented, until around 1961, when the modern look came in.

https://counterculturecoffee.com/blogs/counter-culture-coffee/history-of-espresso-machines

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago

Is it called a "flee" market because you ran away after finding that?

[–] Godnroc@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago

Some searching online shows tins of a "Mammy's Favorite Brand coffee" with a similarly racist depiction.

[–] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago

That looks like something straight out of BioShock Infinite.

[–] Zoldyck@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

Looks like a custom made espresso lever machine. Very unique and odd.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago

Vintage racist stuff like this is HIGHLY collectable. There's at least one museum of it that I'm aware of.

A quick Google search of "Mammy's Coffee" didn't come up with anything, but man, that looks like a huge find to me.

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 12 points 1 week ago

This comes alive at night, right?

[–] Thcdenton@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago
[–] Marvelicious@fedia.io 9 points 1 week ago

"Double shot of espresso with a side of racism please..."

I mean, it's impressively ornate and academically fascinating, but also absolutely horrifying.

[–] 69420@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago

Try making a wish and see if it makes your coffee cup big.

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago

That needs to be destroyed by fire.

[–] hsdkfr734r@feddit.nl 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Coffee: A portafilter machine I guess. It brewed coffee once upon a time. It even has those steam pipes to froth milk. The writing on the lower left says coffee something. There is a portafilter.

Don't know anything about the decoration.

[–] gibmiser@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

The decoration is an old racist style yearning for the good old days when everyone had their own kitchen slave.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammy_stereotype

Its called Mammy's Coffee so its a direct reference. It's creepy and uncomfortable.

[–] hsdkfr734r@feddit.nl 16 points 1 week ago

The mammy is usually portrayed as an older woman, overweight, and dark skinned. She is an idealized figure of a caregiver: amiable, loyal, maternal, non-threatening, obedient, and submissive. The mammy figure demonstrates deference to white authority.

Um yes. Racism. And bad taste. Thanks.