Tour of Kent Bakke Collection at Seattle Leverfest, January 13, 2018

A haven dedicated to manual espresso machine aficionados.
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danetrainer
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#1: Post by danetrainer »

Welcome to the tour of Kent Bakke's collection of historic lever machines, antique uprights, hydraulics, grinders and many other coffee makers. This thread was split off from the Leverfest thread so it could be more easily found. -- drgary

Absolutely amazing, great to meet many fellow HB'ers
and the gracious staff of LaMarzocco that hung out with us for the entire event! Many thanks to Dr Gary for organizing this, here's a pic I snapped of two 6 group Faema levers back to back...mind blowing stuff!

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danetrainer (original poster)
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#2: Post by danetrainer (original poster) »


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danetrainer (original poster)
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#3: Post by danetrainer (original poster) »



Many, many beauties all wrapped up!

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danetrainer (original poster)
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#4: Post by danetrainer (original poster) »



And a LaMarzocco Poker?! A rare piston driven but not hydraulic machine...I think!(as it was partially explained to me).

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doubleOsoul
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#5: Post by doubleOsoul »

I think I need defibrillation! Wow! What a sight and how lucky! Sounds like everyone had a great time. Gary, you did it again :D

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grog
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#6: Post by grog »

The collection was beyond incredible. Not one but two LSM LoLos. Maybe 4 or 5 Uranias, multiple Gaggias, a Disco Volante, a Victoria Arduino Supervat 2 group, the 6 group Nettuno... plus literally dozens of other vintage levers like Dorios and Eternas. Just amazing.

Part of what made it even more fun, was how the staff undersold it. "Hey, does anyone want to have a look at Kent's collection of vintage machines?" There wasn't an indication of just how amazing it really was.
LMWDP #514

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FotonDrv
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#7: Post by FotonDrv replying to grog »

When I was in the backroom several years ago getting my GS/3 serviced I spotted the racks of Levers and was truly amazed.

It sounds like you all had a great time.
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max
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#8: Post by max »

Vintage Ditting grinders like the one in the picture can still be seen in use in small shops around Switzerland :)

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drgary
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#9: Post by drgary »

For this next series of posts, I'm simply going to show you photo upon photo of the collection. I'm able to identify some of the machines, not others. Okay, strap yourself in, you won't believe this. All photos are courtesy of Kent Bakke, who allowed us to take pictures. These treasures are being readied for public display when a proper space is found. Time? To be determined. We'll start with a photo of Steve Egger aka JavaMD and Kent exploring one of the machines on the shelf. Behind them according to Paul Pratt and Holger (aka Sansibar99) is a huge 1 group 1991 Kees VDW Zizi in the grey crate on the floor. This photo gives you a sense of the spirit in which this was done.





And here is what it was like to start to take this in. (I will label some of these photos later with names of machines I've been able to recognize.)



Gary
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What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

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drgary
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#10: Post by drgary »

Are you ready for some more? It was shown above but still amazes me, a six group Faema Nettuno with a six group Gaggia behind it.





Or, how about a La San Marco Disco Volante with a La San Marco Lollobrigida behind it?



That's not the only Lollobrigida. Here's the other one! To its left is a 1950 La Cimbali Gioiello, that company's first model with a lever, the successor of the Ala. Thank you Holger! Or, is it a La Cimbali Ala with a lever? The bottom of the base looks like the Ala, but the lever looks like the Gioiello. Or was it transitional?



Someone asked Kent what's his favorite espresso machine. I commented that must be hard to determine when there are so many wonderful classic ones. He asked my favorite, and I said it's either the Lollo or the Faema Marte. Here's his Marte, still under wraps.

Gary
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What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

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