National Geographic Diver... (STEMAC, Milan - Italy)

Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's...

I had a big doubt when i saw an article in Design, Edition 457-462,  printed by the Design Council in 1987.

Alfredo Robbiati...

One part of this name reminded me of something...
Unfortunately, and after long thoughts... i couldn't make it work so i didn't continue my research.

or Maybe i did ;.) ... and this is what came out:

As Giordano Robbiati closed down Brevetti Robbiati in 1983, going into pension, his son Alfredo took over the business.

He registered his Company STEMAC.... or more precisely S.T.E.M.A.C on the 6th of September 1983.

S.T.E.M.A.C?

S TAMPAGGIO
T ERMO INDURENTI
E
M ACCHINETTE
A TOMIC
C AFFÈ

At this point, it is important to say that Brevetti Robbiati and S.T.E.M.A.C. were making both coffee machines and bakelite parts (to which the "Stampagio Termoindurenti" is drawing attention... "Thermoset molding" in english).

Worth noticing too is that Atomic is part of the business name and that Alfredo Robbiati sold different coffee machines using this name.

On this picture of a fair, you will recognize different models:
(The translation top left "Atomic caffettiere" translate as "Atomic coffee machines"):

I had the immense honor to meet Franco Balzarotti at his home in the neighborhoods of Milan and his fantastic collection.

If someone knows about the whole history of the Robbiati family, than him.

Here are the coffee machines i honestly saw for the first time...
On the picture, you can see this one on the right side on the bar:

And this one, on the lowest display "cube", in front of the shelf:

Here a coffee machine part of the fantastic collection of Ugo:

http://caffettiera.altervista.org/

Mr. Robbiati Junior kept trading with the clients of Mr. Robbiati senior.

And so from 1983 onwards, he was sending his coffee machines to Australia.

So now you know, if you have purchased a coffee machine from Bon Trading between 1983 and 1989, it wasn't a Brevetti Robbiati...

... it was a S.T.E.M.A.C.

and it was not made by Mr. Giordano Robbiati, but by his son Alfredo.

S.T.E.M.A.C. closed its doors on the 6th of March 1989.

I had the chance to meet Alfredo Robbiati - aged 75 - thanks again to Franco Balzarotti.

A person of another generation... in his gestures and answers... incredibly self-respecting of his work and what he achieved... he left a very deep impression... and as we parted, me going back to my flight, him walking down the street - incognito... i looked over my shoulders (something i never do usually)... and it reminded me of national geographic documentaries, when divers swim at great depth and a whale comes, look at them and peacefully, gently pass by...
... and like them, i'll never believe what happened.

Ite missa est.

PS: and the "La sorrentina" coffee machine sold in NY in 1984 is no Brevetti Robbiati.... but a S.T.E.M.A.C.!!!!