Historic decanters and separators

Alfa Laval - Sylvia No. 27

Brand and Model

  • Brand: Alfa-Laval (manufactured by the parent company for the international market and distributed by the Italian branch).

  • Model: Sylvia No. 27

  • Period: The booklet specifies "Modèle 1934" and carries the French price list "Tarif Mars 1935". The machine was therefore marketed in the mid-1930s.

  • Italian distribution: On the back of the machine is the nameplate of the Italian branch in Milan: Società Alfa Laval - Via Farneti, 5 - Milano 4/12.

Technical Characteristics

Thanks to the original period catalogue folded up inside the bowl, we know the exact specifications of this model:

  • Hourly flow rate: 65 litres per hour ("Débit horaire: 65 litres" for the Sylvia No. 27). It is a compact domestic model, designed for small farms.

  • Aesthetics and Finishes: The cast-iron body is painted in the classic glossy dark red/maroon Alfa-Laval colour, embellished on the upper "collar" with an extremely refined golden chain-link decorative line. The crank has its original wooden handle.

  • State of preservation: Museum quality. The paint and the brass nameplates (SYLVIA Nº 27 on the front, SOCIETÀ ALFA LAVAL on the back) are in excellent condition. The presence of the original 1934/1935 paper material, having escaped the dampness of old cellars and barns, greatly enhances this piece.

Historical Value and Positioning

The Value of the Document

The advertising leaflet reveals fascinating commercial details for the period:

  1. The Sylvia Range: The "Sylvia" line comprised four models (No. 27, 28, 29 and 30) with flow rates from 65 up to 170 litres per hour.

  2. The Price at the Time: In March 1935, buying this exact machine (the Sylvia 27) cost 680 French francs. To give you an idea, the largest model (the No. 30) reached 1050 francs. For a supplement of 175 francs, one could request the cast-iron floor stand (the "tablette tournante").

  3. The Slogan: "L'écrémeuse Sylvia donne satisfaction" (The Sylvia separator gives satisfaction), printed on the front with graphics typical of the 1930s.

Position in Collecting

Although the 65-litre separators were the most common, finding a specimen so well preserved, with the glossy paint, the gold decorations and its original 1934 paper catalogue, makes it a top-tier piece, highly sought after by rural antique enthusiasts.

Fun Facts

  • The "sonnerie-compteur de tours": The text of the leaflet mentions that these models included a built-in acoustic signal (a small internal bell). It served to warn the farmer if he was turning the crank too slowly: if the machine "rang", it meant the ideal centrifugal speed for separating the cream from the milk had not yet been reached. A genuine mechanical quality control from another era!