Woe betide the machine which
confesses to the hardship of its work;
with machines, as indeed with people,
we appreciate the hermetic nature of its body,
its working skills and the elegance of its effort.
Gio Ponti, 1933

Collector Enrico Maltoni's passion has led to the creation of a travelling exhibition, publication of a series of books devoted to the culture of Italian-made goods, and a website representing the only on-line coffee machine museum in the world - all celebrating one of Italy’s best-loved traditions: espresso coffee. Over 100 fascinating coffee machines from coffee bars have been saved from the wear and tear of time and restored to working condition for visitors in an exhibition which travels all over the world. A journey across the history of coffee, through which glittering, silver-clad "ladies" - the espresso coffee machines - pass. We are talking about espresso made in Italy, history, culture and design, a travelling exhibition displaying important, valuable models - some of which true rarities - from 1901 to the present day. The passion, culture, curiosity and inventiveness of Enrico Maltoni are giving birth to an exhibition which is unique in its kind, built up in over twenty years of diligent work.

A coffee, please!
So much history, culture, intellect and mastery lie behind this simple, frequently made request! A request we repeat several times a day. Coffee has gained increasingly more importance as a topic,  especially in recent years, even in more remote locations.

Greater sensitivity towards commercial but also cultural and traditional aspects has led coffee experts and enthusiasts to devote themselves with a certain attention to the research of items, documents and materials linked to the world of coffee.

Enrico Maltoni’s passion for the history and culture of Italian espresso coffee machines has turned him into the greatest collector in the world, and an important reference point for all those who turn to him for advice and consultancy about the topic, or who are involved in this industry through  work, culture or simply their own personal interest.

The collector from Forlimpopoli (Forlì - Italy) is an enthusiastic coffee-industry researcher and expert. For over twenty years, he has combined his mastery of restoring ancient espresso coffee machines with meticulous historical, philological and documentary investigations. This approach has enabled him to collect and catalogue over 10,000 reference documents over the years. Photos, patents, letters, catalogues and old posters have now been published on the Collection's official website “www.espressomadeinitaly.com”.

Only a few people are aware that Italian award-winning architects and designers have contributed to producing unique design models, some of which are luxury pieces of art. Examples are Gio Ponti, Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Bruno Munari, Alberto Rosselli, Antonio Fornaroli, Giuseppe De Gotzen, Marco Zanuso, Rodolfo Bonetto, the Castiglioni brothers, as well as Giovanni Travasa, Ettore Sottsass, Enzo Mari, Gianfranco Salvemini, Pininfarina and Giugiaro to name but a few of those who have developed "work tools” which have become true collection masterpieces. In this way, they have helped consolidate the unmistakable national style, giving people all over the world the opportunity to enjoy true Italian espresso.

Engineer Luigi Bezzera from Milan was the man who patented a sophisticated model in 1901, basically the first “column-shaped” coffee machine to brew an espresso with just water and steam. Then came other manufacturers, increasing production and contributing to the spread of these new coffee machines.

In the years following World War II, Gaggia, together with Faema, was the company which replaced the "column-shaped" machine with a piston-functioning model - “Classica 1948”. From that moment, coffee, which had previously had a bitter, burnt-like taste, was turned into a refined “coffee cream”.

Rapid progress, making it possible to savour a richer, more intense aroma, finally eliminating the burnt-like aftertaste so typical of the coffee served in the early twentieth century.

This is how the style and quality evolution for brewing the "black beverage", which has lasted over a 100 years so far, began. Famous brands such as La Pavoni, La Marzocco, La Cimbali, La San Marco, Gaggia, Rancilio, Faema and Victoria Arduino developed highly attractive, technologically innovative models made with precious materials like bronze or brass, with enamel and hand-chiselled decorations, transforming coffee machines for bars into true pieces of Italian art.

Collector Enrico Maltoni’s project is comprehensive, including spreading the culture of coffee through a special website “www.espressomadeinitaly.com” - an instrument which strengthens his mission to spread and protect the history of espresso coffee machines in a completely-Italian tradition. The wide range of articles and subjects featured on this important, continuously updated, online window has led it to become a reference for all collectors and coffee lovers over the years.

The museum, the archive, the bibliography, the technical sheets, the documents, the photographic repertoire, the events calendar, the videos and documentary films, are just some of the elements which give visitors an insight into the history of espresso coffee machines or coffee bars.

In 2000, the travelling exhibition project entitled "espresso made in Italy: history, culture, design” was developed with sponsorship from leading-industry companies such as Lavazza, La Cimbali, Faema and Nuova Ricambi, which have firmly believed and succeeded in grasping the soul of coffee, something which has survived to the present day.

Thailand, Greece, Turkey, Venezuela, Israel, Russia, the United Kingdom, Albania, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and the Popular Republic of China are countries where the exhibition has always received a significant contribution from Italian diplomatic representations, Italian Consulates, International Institutes for Foreign Commerce operating in the individual countries, and world-prestigious Museums and Art Galleries.

Around 20 extraordinary, perfectly-functioning machines - some of which are the only existing examples remaining today - which the collector has selected to promote the image of Italian-made production in the world, are wisely exhibited within a project edited by architect Karim Azzabi of Design Network - Milan.

Walking amongst these steel masterpieces set on their illuminated bases and accompanied with advertising posters is a charming experience. You soon have the feeling of a café atmosphere, with the typical Italian bar lifestyle. You can even hear the noise of the voices of the café visitors, and smell the aroma of coffee, in a remote atmosphere which is constantly brought back to life through this unique exhibition.

The beauty of the collection is enhanced by the two films completing the exhibition setting: the first is an overview of the most famous "extras" of espresso coffee in well-known films like Casablanca, Accattone, Once upon a time in America, Rome, Amici miei, and Star wars; the second, a documentary on the history of coffee machines through the words of the person who brought them back to life - the collector himself.

The main steps in the evolution of these exclusive models can be better explored by leafing through the pages of "espresso made in Italy 1901-1962” - the book Enrico Maltoni wrote in 2001 in association with architect Giuseppe Fabris, now in its third, updated edition. As many as 9,000 copies have already been sold. This valuable book enables readers to follow the development of bar machines, step by step, from the earliest examples - true metal-work sculptures in copper and brass, featuring different decoration styles and inspiration ranging from Art Nouveau to Deco - to the machines which mark the "union" of design and industrial production in the 1950s, through to present day's masterpieces bearing the name of great Italian designers.

A pathway completely devoted to the world surrounding the black beverage, the main character in the book entitled “Il libro completo del caffè” edited in 2005 by De Agostini publishing house, produced by Enrico Maltoni in cooperation with Maria Linardi and Manuel Terzi. It features a rich photographic repertoire, and describes the history of the world’s most popular beverage - from the spread of the coffee bean from the Horn of Africa to the western world passing through the Arabian region, which brought coffee processing to its perfection, through to the introduction of roasting. It also features useful tips for purchasing, preserving and tasting coffee products, as well as a section with advice and recipes for using coffee in cooking.

Winning the prestigious “SCAE prize Excellence of Coffee 2006” in the “Young Entrepreneur Award” category during the “SCAE World of Coffee” event hosted in Bern – Switzerland was a huge satisfaction for Enrico Maltoni.

The only Italian candidate to participate, he won this coffee-industry award beating other competitors from all over the world. This well-renown institution has always showed particular acknowledgement for those who have had the courage, imagination or simply that "special something" allowing them, on one hand, to distinguish themselves in the search for the excellence of coffee, and, on the other, to make a difference in the world coffee industry community, regardless of their position or place of origin.

But the collector's activity is unstoppable and always aimed at increasing his knowledge and further developing his project, being constantly ready to amaze, arouse and involve his audience. This is why he presented the book he wrote and edited, entitled “Faema Espresso 1945-2010”, during the “Host 2009” event at Milan trade fair. It is the very first book ever to be published about the history of Faema, a company which marked the future of coffee machines more than any other. The publication is the life story of Faema's founder, and, at the same time, a history of the technological innovations and social changes affecting Italy.

There are 500 images and photos featured in the book, of which 300 had never previously been published. They were personally given to the author by the Valente family, enabling him to reconstruct the origins of the company through this important material, too. A journey on paper through Italian customs and design as only an enthusiastic expert could produce, the book cover features Faema’s first advertising poster, a manifesto produced by painter, artist and advertising agent, Gino Boccasile.

Some curios. Enrico Maltoni collaborated on the production of a documentary entitled “Tutto fa Storia”, produced in 2009 by the History Channel and directed by Patrizio Roversi. He has also been a guest on important TV programmes broadcast on RAI (Italian public TV service), such as “Uno Mattina", and the long-established “Maurizio Costanzo Show” talk-show broadcast by Canale 5; he has also spoken on TG Uno, on the programme “Costume e Società” as well as “Piazza Grande” - broadcast on Rai Due. Other interesting interviews have been released by Rai International channel, as well as on the Gambero Rosso Channel, Sit Cook.

Another extremely important event was the cultural encounter at "L’Albereta" restaurant in Erbusco (Brescia), with chef Gualtiero Marchesi, with whom the collector brewed an espresso coffee using a steam-functioning coffee machine from the 1920s.

Commitment, courage and imagination. More than the awards and prizes attained, these are the qualities which have made it possible for Enrico Maltoni's Collection to become one of the most attractive examples of the Italian way of life. This fascinating story, starting in the early twentieth century and having been developed in the "Bel Paese" for over a century, has promoted the evolution of Italian tradition and design from its “roaring years, to the present day.