Coffee Mill 1939

Clarence Secor made this evocative image of a coffee mill in 1939 using watercolor on paper. The choice of medium is interesting – a far cry from the robust metal and wood of the object depicted. Secor meticulously renders the grinder's cuboid body, funnel, and crank, capturing their patinated surfaces. This isn't just about skillful technique; it's about celebrating the everyday. We can almost feel the weight of the metal, the resistance of the wood, and envision the labor involved in transforming raw coffee beans into a morning brew. Coffee grinders like this one represent a key moment in the history of consumerism, where specialized tools for processing food became commonplace. The very act of grinding, once a communal task, was brought into the domestic sphere, atomizing labor. Secor invites us to consider the cultural significance of this humble object and the hands that once turned its crank.