Scott > wrote:

>I happened to stop at this antiques/consignment shop that I haven't been
>to for quite a while. While browsing about, a device caught my eye. At
>first glance, I dismissed it as an old, fancy-looking percolator. But
>something about it bugged me, so I looked it over again.
>
>Pretty quickly, it became clear that this was *not* a percolator; it
>also looked vaguely familiar. I bought it, for the princely sum of $12,
>and took it home.
>
>Opening up Bramah's "Coffee Makers," I flipped through and found it
>within about 10-15 seconds. I'll be darned--it's a "Vienna
>Incomparable," a "continental version" of a Parker Steam Fountain. It's
>rather battered and pretty rusty. There were a number of different
>versions, and I haven't across an imprint on my device.
>
>See:
><http://homepage.mac.com/scott_r/catalog.html>
>
>Clicking on each image will enlarge the picture. I'm not sure what the
>little plastic knob in the lid is for.

Looks like sort of an upside down, steam driven, French press coffee
maker that could easily have been invented by Rube Goldberg ;-).
If the little black plastic knob comes out of the lid, perhaps it must
be removed whilst brewing so the steam pressure doesn't blow glass the
lid off?
That's my guess, who's next?

Ross.