1930s French Wall Mounted Coffee Grinder

Known in France as a moulin à café mural, wall-mounted grinders like this were once a familiar sight in French kitchens, allowing coffee beans to be ground directly into the small glass container below. This example has survived particularly well, with all the elements that make these old grinders so appealing still together. The white ceramic hopper has a red transfer decoration depicting a windmill and coastal scene, topped with its metal lid. Beneath sits the cast metal grinder with its long hand crank and wooden handle, while the original glass container slots neatly underneath to catch the freshly ground coffee.

The whole grinder is mounted on a simple wooden board ready for hanging. Now more likely to be enjoyed as a piece of French kitchen history than put back to work, it would look brilliant hung amongst open shelving, old pottery and kitchenalia.

In good vintage condition with wear consistent with its age and original use. There is ageing and patination to the metal components and marks to the wooden backboard. Please refer closely to the photographs for the overall condition. Sold primarily as a decorative piece, but still useable to this day

It’s the combination of materials that makes this one for us – the warm wooden board, dark aged metal, little glass container and that brilliant ceramic hopper with its faded red windmill. A proper piece of old French kitchenalia that deserves to stay out on display.