After scoring my Conti Princess at a nice price, I was just about to whine when I saw this Aurora Europa "for parts or not working" up on ebay starting at $99. I decided to watch it just to see what would happen, kind of hoping it would go high as to quench my craving. Well, apparently the condition status didn't scare anyone off since 29 bids later it sold for $787. Alright, time to 'fess up! Who got it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...0808179570

I was part of the 29

I get sad sometimes that I don't live in a country with some nice old machines:(

After months of watching ebay for an Aurora I must admit I didn't win it ;(

Aurora machines..all in house made, almost a custom machine....plumbed in HX..extremely small footprint...original seventies orange and only missing a portafilter and baskets?????? Somebody really made a score on that one...bargain of the year if you axe me!

I was on the train back to the great white north. Missed it too...
OO

I gotta say, you guys are holding your cards pretty close to your vests these days...didn't even MENTION that Aurora and were all watching it . I bet nobody mentions the Astoria with the hotel group either, eh?

I have a Gaggia with this big brewer group and the valves etc all look the same. This Astoria is quite modern for such a group and still it seems the same as the very old ones. It is my assumption that one opens the top and spoons in coffee grounds and then opens one valve to allow boiler water to enter the chamber, then decant through one of the lower valves. there is also what appears to be a wand on the bottom as well and this one is a mystery. I don't think anyone has actually used one of these enough to analyze the worthiness of the contraption, but is is very cool looking and it attached to a flange on the boiler just the same way as a regular group.
My Gaggia with this group is in a box so I cannot do more than theorize about it at present...

I want that "Europa" badge for mine..