Antique 19th Century Copper Turkish Coffee Set

I myself have been known to be quite intolerable to be around if there is no coffee. I know, it sounds bad, but can be a lot worse if I don't get my coffee. I am quite an admirer & collector of articles of historic significance, as well as antiques....the older the better. Back in 2005 some friends and I made a trip to Jerusalem, Israel for a pilgrimage. Actually a pilgrimage for them, and a treasure hunt for me. On that trip I purchased these pieces in an antique store. At the time they were just souvenirs, but over the last 7 years they've been Ottoman relics of many many years gone by. I didn't pay much for these at the time, for a previous owner had decided to polish these at one time. For the last 5 years they've been tucked away amongst my belongings in storage. It brought me great joy to bring these beauties out of darkness and into the light again! =^D

Coffee was introduced into Turkey via Yemen. Some reports say it was the governor to Yemen that first brought back coffee beans and others say it was traders. No matter who it really was the fact of the matter is that it was through Turkey that the rest of the world- especially many areas in Europe- got exposed to coffee. In Turkey coffee became the talk of the town. Coffee was regarded as the drink of the intellectuals and the royal group was a great patron of the drink as well. As a result the streets of Turkey were full of coffee shops producing specially brewed coffee filling the air with the aroma of the sweet beans. The atmosphere in the streets of Turkey was being brewed inside small copper pots which were developed especially for the purpose of making coffee. The Ottoman Empire is famous for leaving behind a legacy of arts and crafts and the Turkish copper coffee pot is no exception. As was known of the Muslims of those times they were masters of creativity. Where ever they could find one stepping stone they would take it to make huge leaps. Just like they are renowned for making amazing tea sets that were initially produced in competition of Chinese ceramics, the coffee pots of Turkey were something of a need at that time. As time passed by and coffee got famous all around the world, people started getting inquisitive about how the Turks made it in the first place. So not only was coffee exported from Turkey but the way to make it and what it is made in is also part and parcel of this Turkish gift to the world. The coffee pot that is now world famous and easily available throughout the world was originally made out of copper. Today you will find most of the coffee pots to be made of stainless steel. The Turkish copper coffee pot is a narrow topped boiling pot known as Ibrik. History reveals that there were initially two kinds of Ibriks in Turkey; one was copper tin lined and the other was brass tin lined. There is a difference of opinion on which one of them is better but you will find there to be supporters for both. The tin lining is incorporated so as to make the utensil safer for your health. Although it is the Copper Ibrik that is regarded to be the real deal from Turkey but this one fast looses its beautiful shiny look as the copper fades away. If your main concern is to make good coffee then the copper Ibrik best serves the purpose as it is a better conductor of heat which allows for optimum brewing. However the best way to brew the coffee is to take it slow in an appropriate sized pot. You will see that the traditional Turkish copper coffee pot has a long handle that is made of either wood or metal. As was the trend at those times these handles were often decorated with graphic elements to produce an attractive design. The Turkish coffee pot is the ideal equipment for making first class Turkish coffee and has the added advantage of being a showpiece amongst others in your home. =^)