Austrian Lever Espresso Machine - Alpina

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Jack
Posts: 19
Joined: 13 years ago

#1: Post by Jack »

Greetings !

Have recently found an interesting Lever machine which looks pretty alike the Gaggia Americano. However, there is not much info could be found for this Machine on the internet. Only clues are that it was made in Austria, manufactured by Alpina Factory and it's probably around 60 years old.











Just wonder if there is any experts who could tell us more about this machine as well as the Alpina Factory? Will post more photo once machine arrived next week :)


Cheers~

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rotchitos
Posts: 311
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#2: Post by rotchitos »

fantastic ;-)
have you seen the same machine on the kaffee-netz ?
http://machines.cafeslevier.free.fr/
I look for persons to translate into English one or + pages of my site... :-)

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Jack (original poster)
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Joined: 13 years ago

#3: Post by Jack (original poster) replying to rotchitos »

Hello Vincent:)

searched on Kaffee-netz for a while but not much information available there as well.

....mysterious.... :lol:

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drgary
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#4: Post by drgary »

The serial tag should give the manufacturing date. I doubt it's 60 years old.
Gary
LMWDP#308

What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

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rotchitos
Posts: 311
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#5: Post by rotchitos »

why not ?
her sister gaggia america was born from middle 50'

Jack wrote:Hello Vincent:)

searched on Kaffee-netz for a while but not much information available there as well.

....mysterious.... :lol:
yes it's sad, but exciting :D
http://machines.cafeslevier.free.fr/
I look for persons to translate into English one or + pages of my site... :-)

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drgary
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#6: Post by drgary »

I thought those Gaggia Americas and Oriones were a bit later. My bad. None of that is a dig on that great machine.
Gary
LMWDP#308

What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

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pootoogoo
Posts: 326
Joined: 11 years ago

#7: Post by pootoogoo »

That's a beautiful rarity, congratulations. The design is really from the 50s but the front electrical switch look a bit more recent... drgary may be right about the 60s.

What is very strange and original with this machine is the bent lever arm... it seems genuine but the only other lever I know with this is the also very rare ("Spagna" ?) lever from Gaggia:



(but it's bent in the other direction).

"Alpina" is also the name of 1955 Rancilio lever... doesn't seem to have anything to do with it.

Sansibar99
Posts: 241
Joined: 11 years ago

#8: Post by Sansibar99 »

I was lurking around this machine and the offer for weeks - and I just couldn't decide whether to buy or not.
What pushed me to "no, thanks" was, that the seller couldn't provide any info or pics from the inside or any more tech specs.
Now I think "I should have taken it..." :-(

What I found out about the manufacturer: the company still exists in Austria (Kufstein), is still in the business of making gastronomic equipment and took over the production and/or name rights from Reneka! They have a prosumer line under the name of "Macchiavalley" .

Did you buy it, Jack?

Regards
Holger
LMWDP #422

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pootoogoo
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#9: Post by pootoogoo »

Ahah... sacré rotchitos, :wink: I understand now: the KaffeeNetz post.

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Jack (original poster)
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Joined: 13 years ago

#10: Post by Jack (original poster) »

Thank you very much for all those replies :)

The machine has just arrived yesterday:

Very well packaged :




Unpacking...








Interesting switch.... Have to check what is it for:



The back:



On/Off swtich :



Weighted Emission Valve:



Ball Bearing?




Pressure Gauge:




58mm Portafilter :



Legs:




The Tag..


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