Historic decanters and separators

Alfa Laval - 20

Nameplate Data and Identification

  • Brand: Alfa-Laval (manufactured or distributed by the Italian Società Alfa Laval, historically based in Milan at Via Farneti 5)

  • Model: Alfa-Laval 20

  • Type: Manual benchtop centrifugal cream separator

  • Production period: Roughly the first half of the 20th century ('20s - '50s)

  • Materials: Body and base in painted (or blued) cast iron, bowl and spouts in rust-resistant metal alloy (often tin-plated steel or thick aluminium), crank with wooden handle.

Operating Characteristics (from the original nameplate)

  • Hourly milk flow rate: 60 litres/hour

  • Hourly whey flow rate: 60 litres/hour

  • Operating speed: 60 crank turns per minute

Fun Facts

  • The invention that changed the world: The Swedish brand Alfa-Laval owes its name to Gustaf de Laval, the Swedish engineer who in 1878 patented the first continuous centrifugal cream separator. Before this invention, obtaining cream meant letting milk rest for hours waiting for it to rise naturally, with major risks of bacterial growth and souring.

  • A company still leading today: Alfa Laval, founded in the late 19th century, still exists today and is a world-leading multinational in heat exchange, separation and fluid handling systems.

  • The "60 turns" principle: The nameplate strictly specifies 60 crank turns per minute. This is because, inside the multiplying gear mechanism (housed in the cast-iron body), the 60 manual turns were converted into as many as 6,000 - 8,000 RPM of the internal drum! Only at that speed was centrifugal force strong enough to separate the fat globules (lighter, exiting through one spout) from the skimmed milk (heavier, exiting through the other).

Market Value

The object shows excellent apparent aesthetic condition, appears complete with all its fundamental components (upper bowl, the two outlet spouts, the original crank), and the brass nameplate is perfectly legible, which adds a lot of value for a collector.

  • Current condition: The metal has a beautiful vintage patina. It is not heavily rusted and has probably already been cleaned or excellently preserved indoors.

  • Estimated value: On the market for vintage collectibles, rural antiques or industrial decor, the value could rise to a few thousand euros in the coming years

  • Note on value: The maximum price is reached if the internal gears still turn smoothly without jamming and if the original conical "discs" used for separating the milk are still present inside the drum. It is an excellent decorative piece for rustic kitchens, farm-stay accommodations or dairies.