Did anyone see this?

System

On the mighty ebay...


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/FAEMA-E61-COFFEE-MACHINE-1960s-VINTAGE_W0QQitemZ4399769962QQcategoryZ20671QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

john

AmyK I have actually seen the machine. I know the person selling it and can say that the E61 is in pretty awesome condition. It has been professionally restored. If I did not have my own collection of E61's (a 1, 2, 3 and 4 group), I would consider buying it. It is a serious piece of working history (art) for the coffee machine collector. John

FreshCoffee2

Not wishing to be TOO pickie but I think it's a shame to see a machine like this that has been brought back to new condition (and then have the vendor advise it is "USED" condition....if its fully restored and as new...how can it be "used"?). I think the beauty in these things is to see them in as original a condition as possible. It's good to see a scratch here or there, stainless steel that hasn't been too highly polished, aluminium that's a little "grey" rather than "chromey" in appearance. I have an original 2 group E61 in the showroom at the moment. It's also rebuilt, but not to the same standard that I see in the ebay auction. It looks good, but it looks like a genuine machine that has been cleaned up. It does not look as good as another older machine in my showroom, that is in dead set unrestored original condition and NOT done up or polished to a point where it is so shiny I could use it as a shaving mirror. I guess different things turn different people on, but I think its a shame to see the new black plastic collector tray and all new straight piping and shiny as new brass fittings under the drip tray, instead of the original metal collector tray and slightly banged and not quite dead straight original pipiing going here and there. I wonder if the restorer has been a bit too diligent? And one last thing.....if this is a "true" auction I most strongly object to the vendor trying to influence the outcome by advising that these machines get 12K in the market...you get what you get, from whoever is interested, according to the relative "worth" of the individual item, at any particular time. Otherwise it's not really a very fair auction is it (ie, allowing the market to find its own true value)? Just an opinion. Regardz, A.

john

A Some fair comments. However, as with many older things, obviously they can be found in various states, for example, like the one in your showroom, which I have also seen This particular one group, like the ones in my collection have been restored to look and work like new machines. Good or bad??? Maybe due to to condition that they were found in they had to be restored!!! Yes your 2 group E61 is original and some might say better than the restored single group on eBay. But unfortunately machines like yours are few and far between in Australia. I would love to have yours in my collection, but unfortunately it is not for sale. IMO, I think it is great to see machines like this brought back to life. They could easily take pride of place in any home or even a cafe. Having seen the restoration work done on this machine, it should be regarded as 'new'. Must say, it would look pretty cool on the kitchen bench, especially as it is in fine working order. On the starting price, I think it is more than fair. The $12k quoted is up there, but what is a piece of history worth??? JD

john

Looks like the E61 sold.