Monday, 31 December 2012
Friday, 28 December 2012
Via Pietro Da Cemmo, n°4
I don't want to repeat myself.
So read what i wrote 2 months ago (here).
It looks like the google streetview-car drove through the Via Pietro Da Cemmo this time, the very street where both Robbiati father (Brevetti Robbiati from 1958 until 1983) and son (S.T.E.M.A.C. from 1983 until 1989) had their factory.
So read what i wrote 2 months ago (here).
It looks like the google streetview-car drove through the Via Pietro Da Cemmo this time, the very street where both Robbiati father (Brevetti Robbiati from 1958 until 1983) and son (S.T.E.M.A.C. from 1983 until 1989) had their factory.
Bon Trading Co. order form
As another document slipped through my hands recently, i have no alternative but to ask the new owner to embellish my Blog by a good scan of this:
Thanks!
The only GENUINE © ® ™ Atomic coffee machine - 1946
A year ago, i was presenting you Monsato Research Corp's project of a self-powered coffeepot (with Polonium-238). (here).
That was in 1969.
Well.
It looks like the Buffalo Machinery Co. was a forerunner for atomic-driven coffee machines.
The coffee pot, this time, could be heated with C-Uranium.
The article dates 1946.
Either way, it give me the creeps.
That was in 1969.
Well.
It looks like the Buffalo Machinery Co. was a forerunner for atomic-driven coffee machines.
The coffee pot, this time, could be heated with C-Uranium.
The article dates 1946.
Either way, it give me the creeps.
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Share a smirk with me will you?
Gorrea.
A. Gorrea.
An unfindable Genoese business (here) which sold Brevetti Robbiati's Model A (flathead). (here)
This association stuck so hard to my simple mind that, as soon as i read "Gorrea", i see a flathead.
I find it difficult to describe the feelings i have when i discover "stuff". In this sense, this Blog is a very pale mirror of my Passion.
The aforesaid "feelings" usually show up on my face as a mind-boggling joyful smirk.
The following machine is definitely a Model B (Roundhead).
And that shows the amount of "Stuff" still to be found (Re-Smirk).
A. Gorrea.
An unfindable Genoese business (here) which sold Brevetti Robbiati's Model A (flathead). (here)
This association stuck so hard to my simple mind that, as soon as i read "Gorrea", i see a flathead.
***
I find it difficult to describe the feelings i have when i discover "stuff". In this sense, this Blog is a very pale mirror of my Passion.
The aforesaid "feelings" usually show up on my face as a mind-boggling joyful smirk.
The following machine is definitely a Model B (Roundhead).
And that shows the amount of "Stuff" still to be found (Re-Smirk).
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Nothing comes from nothing
But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past
There must have been a moment of truth.
Nothing comes from nothing
Nothing ever could
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good.
Monday, 17 December 2012
Santa Claus, North Pole
Dear Santa,
I am very happy of what happened the current year. It has been very enriching and prolific.
I was privileged to meet fantastic people, add amazing coffee makers to my collection, and study jaw-droping documents.
All my experiences i share with the world, because i think, maybe one or two persons might be in the same situation like mine 3 years ago: they want to know the history of these coffee makers.
Collectors around the world have been sending me some unbelievable pictures and documents, and have shared some of their knowledge with me, for which i am very grateful.
Life has been good to me.
Yet, i allow myself to make 2 wishes (i have plenty more, but i was told you have a lot to do these days).
If you could locate these coffee makers, and ensure that these coffee makers and i cross paths, it would motivate me to be a good person the coming year, and continue sharing what i know if the time allows me.
Here is my list:
I am very happy of what happened the current year. It has been very enriching and prolific.
I was privileged to meet fantastic people, add amazing coffee makers to my collection, and study jaw-droping documents.
All my experiences i share with the world, because i think, maybe one or two persons might be in the same situation like mine 3 years ago: they want to know the history of these coffee makers.
Collectors around the world have been sending me some unbelievable pictures and documents, and have shared some of their knowledge with me, for which i am very grateful.
Life has been good to me.
Yet, i allow myself to make 2 wishes (i have plenty more, but i was told you have a lot to do these days).
If you could locate these coffee makers, and ensure that these coffee makers and i cross paths, it would motivate me to be a good person the coming year, and continue sharing what i know if the time allows me.
Here is my list:
Thank you Santa,
Mik
Sunday, 16 December 2012
Down below my standards
Disclaimer 18 Dec. 2012:
Thank you for all the collectors who showed their interest at yesterday's post.
"Anonymous" though, didn't appreciate it.
Maybe my mistake was not to have started with the conclusion.
That person thought i was trying to prove a point, offend someone and be slanderous, none of which was my intent at all.
My 3 points were:
_ Don't overrate an internet research... it is unreliable (nothing new i hope).
_ Don't overrate a business's claim. If it comes from a business, it serves one purpose: the one of the business (pure logic).
_ The claims made by those "reproduction" businesses are irrelevant when you research vintage coffee makers (For example: One business claims the "genericity" of the word "Atomic". Well, a trademark is never "generic" from the start. Hence, this claim is completely useless to understand the history of these machines).
Not groundbreaking. Nothing new basically.
The post is completely free of interpretation.
It consists of neutral observations.
All entries are linked to the original page which is in public domain.
Here is the original post of the 17th Dec 2012.
If i may have forgotten a date, please feel free to write me with the actual internet link.
I can't be responsible for any interpretation you make of the sequence of dates.
Yours Always,
Mik
I am ashamed about today's post.
It is below my standards... so below, it's down under.
In the last 3 days, I researched - like so many anonyme experts - on the Internet.
Today's very sloppy-researched post was foisted on me by Mr. Anonymous (here), who regularly invites himself on my blog. A few hours after i wrote about modern reproductions, Mr. Anonymous advised me to look at "the facts".
A few facts about vintage coffee makers before i start:
2 business strategies regarding the current reproductions of Giordano Robbiati's coffee machine:
_ Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) uses the term "Atomic" as a trademark. (here & here)
_ Jack Grieve (Ikon Exports) uses the term "Atomic" as a generic name for a "type" of stove top coffee machine:
On the 15th of March 2009, the user SorrentinaCoffee sponsors the website Coffeesnobs.com.au. (here)
On the 3rd of May 2009, the user SorrentinaCoffee's first picture of its Flickr album "Atomic coffee maker machine compendium" (here).
On the 1st of January 2010, the user SorrentinaCoffee's first picture on its Flickr album "Atomic coffee machine collection" (here)
On the 26th of January 2010, avatar "The genericist" writes the Wikipedia page "The Atomic Coffee Machine" (here). To illustrate the page, "The genericist" uploads 2 pictures, both sources their author: the website of the business "Sorrentinacoffee". (here) There again, the term "Atomic" is used as a descriptive term.
On the 30th of March 2010, the user SorrentinaCoffee started the thread "Atomic restorers thread" (here) on Coffeesnobs.com.au (a Website sponsored by Sorrentinacoffee).
On the 2nd of June 2010, both Irene Notaras and Jack Grieve were heard by a delegate of the Registrar of Trade Marks. (here)
Mr. Anonymous, between you and me, whatever "Bon Trading Co" or "Ikon Exports" are selling nowadays doesn't interest me the slightest.
Equally, i am not interested to know who is right, who is wrong.
To top this amount of disinterest, I still don't know why i should care about modern business plans - one trademarking the word "Atomic", another promoting the genericity of the word "Atomic".
Because this has nothing to do with the vintage coffee machines i cherish:
I am not interested in reproductions.
Thank you for all the collectors who showed their interest at yesterday's post.
"Anonymous" though, didn't appreciate it.
Maybe my mistake was not to have started with the conclusion.
That person thought i was trying to prove a point, offend someone and be slanderous, none of which was my intent at all.
My 3 points were:
_ Don't overrate an internet research... it is unreliable (nothing new i hope).
_ Don't overrate a business's claim. If it comes from a business, it serves one purpose: the one of the business (pure logic).
_ The claims made by those "reproduction" businesses are irrelevant when you research vintage coffee makers (For example: One business claims the "genericity" of the word "Atomic". Well, a trademark is never "generic" from the start. Hence, this claim is completely useless to understand the history of these machines).
Not groundbreaking. Nothing new basically.
The post is completely free of interpretation.
It consists of neutral observations.
All entries are linked to the original page which is in public domain.
Here is the original post of the 17th Dec 2012.
If i may have forgotten a date, please feel free to write me with the actual internet link.
I can't be responsible for any interpretation you make of the sequence of dates.
Yours Always,
Mik
*******************************************
It is below my standards... so below, it's down under.
In the last 3 days, I researched - like so many anonyme experts - on the Internet.
Today's very sloppy-researched post was foisted on me by Mr. Anonymous (here), who regularly invites himself on my blog. A few hours after i wrote about modern reproductions, Mr. Anonymous advised me to look at "the facts".
A few facts about vintage coffee makers before i start:
- The Milanese business Brevetti Robbiati closed in 1983. (here)
- Alfredo - Giordano Robbiati's son - took over his father's business. His business S.T.E.M.A.C. closed its doors in 1989. (here)
- Giordano Robbiati patented a coffee machine on the 14th and 18th of September 1946 (here & here) and on the 6th of June 1950 (here).
- Desider Stern protected the name "Atomic" for coffee makers internationally the 20th of October 1951. (here)
- Patents and Trademarks are 2 different legal protections.
*******
This is what i could find on the Internet.
*******
2 business strategies regarding the current reproductions of Giordano Robbiati's coffee machine:
_ Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) uses the term "Atomic" as a trademark. (here & here)
_ Jack Grieve (Ikon Exports) uses the term "Atomic" as a generic name for a "type" of stove top coffee machine:
- On both Flickr and CoffeeSnobs, the user Sorrentinacoffee uses the trademarked term "Atomic" as a descriptive word: the Gaetano Delle Vedove's "Electa" (here), Josef Tarditi's "Nec Tar" (here), the Hogar (here), the "Rapida express" (here) are types of "Atomic" coffee machines, even Giordano Robbiati's "Martian" (here).
- On both Flickr and Coffeesnobs, the user Sorrentinacoffee explains why the term "Atomic" is generic. A long argumentative text to accompany the collection of the business "Ikon Exports" (here). Same on Coffeesnobs, Page 6 (here) Post 283 onwards.
- On SorrentinaCoffee's website (here), again, the term "Atomic" is used to describe stove top coffee makers. It is used as an adjective to these nouns: "variants" "models" "version" "design" "type".
*******
How these 2 business strategies entangled is in the following sequence of events to be seen:
*******
On the 07th of June 1985, Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) registers the trademark "Atomic" AU428036 in the Category 21 (stove top coffee maker) in Australia. (here).
On the 20th of April 1999 - Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) trademarks the word "Atomic" (AU791650/ AU1281511) in the Category 21 (stove top coffee maker) in Australia (here & here or here)
On the 27 of August 2007, Jack Grieve (Ikon Exports) applies for the trademark "La Sorrentina" ( AU1195382) in the Category 21 (stove top coffee maker) in Australia. (here)
On the 11th of February 2008, Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) trademarks the word "Robbiati" (AU1224257) in the Category 21 (stove top coffee maker) in Australia
On the 13 of February 2008, Jack Grieve (Ikon Exports) applies for the trademark "La Sorrentina Atomic Coffee Machine"( AU1222669).
On the 9th of September 2008, Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) filed an opposition to Jack Grieve (Ikon Export)'s application. (here)
On the 25th of November 2008, the user SorrentinaCoffee's first picture of its Flickr album "Atomic coffee maker history" (here).
On the 12th of March 2009, Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) renewed the trademark "Atomic" in the category 21. (here)
On the 15th of March 2009, the user SorrentinaCoffee sponsors the website Coffeesnobs.com.au. (here)
On the 3rd of May 2009, the user SorrentinaCoffee's first picture of its Flickr album "Atomic coffee maker machine compendium" (here).
On the 10th of December 2009, the user SorrentinaCoffee started the thread "Atomic Collectors Thread" (here) on Coffeesnobs.com.au (a Website sponsored by Sorrentinacoffee).
On the 11th of December 2009, Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) protects the typeset (AU3870319) of the trademark "Atomic". (here)
On the 26th of January 2010, avatar "The genericist" writes the Wikipedia page "The Atomic Coffee Machine" (here). To illustrate the page, "The genericist" uploads 2 pictures, both sources their author: the website of the business "Sorrentinacoffee". (here) There again, the term "Atomic" is used as a descriptive term.
On the 30th of March 2010, the user SorrentinaCoffee started the thread "Atomic restorers thread" (here) on Coffeesnobs.com.au (a Website sponsored by Sorrentinacoffee).
On the 2nd of June 2010, both Irene Notaras and Jack Grieve were heard by a delegate of the Registrar of Trade Marks. (here)
On the 25th of July 2010, The delegate of the Registrar of Trade Marks took a decision based on 2 main arguments. (here)
On the 16th of December 2010, Irene Notaras (Bon Trading Co.) applies for the protection of the 3-D representation (AU1396532) of a coffee machine. (here and here) . Today's Status is "UNDER EXAMINATION".
******
Conclusion
******
Conclusion
******
Equally, i am not interested to know who is right, who is wrong.
To top this amount of disinterest, I still don't know why i should care about modern business plans - one trademarking the word "Atomic", another promoting the genericity of the word "Atomic".
Because this has nothing to do with the vintage coffee machines i cherish:
I am not interested in reproductions.
That's me.
Thursday, 6 December 2012
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
The Butterfly Effect
Little insight into the way i research:
Then i contacted the Literaturhaus and asked if they could give my contact to the family Stern.
As i saw it was taking a bit longer than i would have expected... I started to write everyone with the family name Stern living in Vienna, Austria, on Facebook (yes, you eventually get blocked by Facebook for doing this, although i can't remember if one gets blocked 3 hours or 3 days per 10 questions asked to "strangers").
The text couldn't be more simple: "Dear Mm. Stern, may i apologise for contacting you over Facebook. I would like...."
Eventually, the same day, Mm. Stern answered.
It could have been any Mm. Stern. It happened to be the daughter of Mr. Desider Stern.
Mm. Stern and I got acquainted, so that i was entrusted with a folder containing many artefacts of the former business Stella -Wien.
Among many business letters and leaflet, this intriguing photo:
There comes the Deus Ex Machina in this story, played by my wife (my personal motivation coach).
My wife's favourite line: "You'll never find that out".
What did i do next?
I wrote to every email address i could find on the website of the Austrian Theatre Museum & of the Austrian Film Museum.
I did get one email back assuring me the young lady was the Viennese Imperial Court Theatre actress Inge Konradi. (see here)
As for the young man, the Austrian Film Museum couldn't help further.
Well, i thought, if Inge Konradi played so often at the Imperial Court Theater, i might as well asked them.
I sent an email to the contact address on their website.
Within a couple of hours the actor could be identified: Alexander Trojan.
As to the piece, it is now in the hands of the Imperial Court Theatre, as an internal riddle.
Will they find the colleague who can identify the roles and thereupon the theatre piece?
(Without the shadow of a doubt, they will)
The following entry of "Dominho" was written from Rio de Janeiro, on a Canadian Coffee Forum (Coffeecrew) on the first of March 2008.
By whom?
A grandson of Desider Josef Stern.
I won't comment the answers given on this forum.
This "Atomic Revelation" was the start on my research, let's have a look how i proceeded:
The "name" was out: Desider Stern.
So i googled him, and landed on the website of the Literaturhaus in Vienna (1 & 2) about an exhibition that took place in 2007.
Then i contacted the Literaturhaus and asked if they could give my contact to the family Stern.
As i saw it was taking a bit longer than i would have expected... I started to write everyone with the family name Stern living in Vienna, Austria, on Facebook (yes, you eventually get blocked by Facebook for doing this, although i can't remember if one gets blocked 3 hours or 3 days per 10 questions asked to "strangers").
The text couldn't be more simple: "Dear Mm. Stern, may i apologise for contacting you over Facebook. I would like...."
Eventually, the same day, Mm. Stern answered.
It could have been any Mm. Stern. It happened to be the daughter of Mr. Desider Stern.
Mm. Stern and I got acquainted, so that i was entrusted with a folder containing many artefacts of the former business Stella -Wien.
Among many business letters and leaflet, this intriguing photo:
There comes the Deus Ex Machina in this story, played by my wife (my personal motivation coach).
My wife's favourite line: "You'll never find that out".
What did i do next?
I wrote to every email address i could find on the website of the Austrian Theatre Museum & of the Austrian Film Museum.
I did get one email back assuring me the young lady was the Viennese Imperial Court Theatre actress Inge Konradi. (see here)
As for the young man, the Austrian Film Museum couldn't help further.
Well, i thought, if Inge Konradi played so often at the Imperial Court Theater, i might as well asked them.
I sent an email to the contact address on their website.
Within a couple of hours the actor could be identified: Alexander Trojan.
As to the piece, it is now in the hands of the Imperial Court Theatre, as an internal riddle.
Will they find the colleague who can identify the roles and thereupon the theatre piece?
(Without the shadow of a doubt, they will)
*****
Yep, i know.
It is a strange hobby, but one gets to know many people!!!
I know you probably looked at the shiny piece of aluminium coffee machine in the middle of the scene.
It is an early Stella Model 110E... and it isn't plugged.
(Maybe it is still stored "somewhere" as a prop. But don't you worry, i asked them already.)
(Maybe it is still stored "somewhere" as a prop. But don't you worry, i asked them already.)
*****
Conclusion:
Any idiot could have done the research.
The mystery for me is:
Why didn't anyone bother?
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Drool Drool Drool... and a lot of Suspense
Mmmmh... You will see this machine with different eyes in weeks's time...
...When i'll publish a letter signed by Giordano Robbiati to Desider Stern.
One document that will change your perception of history.
Monday, 26 November 2012
Not Badges, yet... not less interesting!
Yesterday, I presented you with my collection of badges.
Here is a collection of marks, engraving, stickers and "other" stuff.
Where shall we start?
Here some Stickers from Brevetti Robbiati on "Atomic" coffee makers:
Here Bakelite knobs from Stella (Model 402), Szigony M.V. ("Piccolo"), les établissements Tarditi ("Nec Tar") and Szigony M.V. ("Bambi) again.
And these are marks / engraving on "La Bikinette", and 3 machines / jugs from the Szigony M.V business, 6 from the Stella company (Model 104, 402E, 505E), 1 from the Tarditi company ("Nec Tar", 5904 under a "ETNA", 2 from a "Minipress" (Szigony M.V.) and twice V125 from a "Electa" marked coffee machine from the Gaeteno Delle Vedove & Remo Delle Vedove business.
Here is a collection of marks, engraving, stickers and "other" stuff.
Where shall we start?
Here some Stickers from Brevetti Robbiati on "Atomic" coffee makers:
Here Bakelite knobs from Stella (Model 402), Szigony M.V. ("Piccolo"), les établissements Tarditi ("Nec Tar") and Szigony M.V. ("Bambi) again.
And these are marks / engraving on "La Bikinette", and 3 machines / jugs from the Szigony M.V business, 6 from the Stella company (Model 104, 402E, 505E), 1 from the Tarditi company ("Nec Tar", 5904 under a "ETNA", 2 from a "Minipress" (Szigony M.V.) and twice V125 from a "Electa" marked coffee machine from the Gaeteno Delle Vedove & Remo Delle Vedove business.
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