Antique Middle Eastern Bedouin Tribal Coffee Grinder (05/18/2009)

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Antique Middle Eastern Bedouin Tribal Coffee Grinder

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Antique Middle Eastern Bedouin Tribal Coffee Grinder

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Sold Date: 05/18/2009
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Ethnic, Folk & Native American Art

This is a mihbaj, a traditional Bedouin implement, made of a wooden base with a two foot-long pestle , that serves both as a coffee grinder and as a percussion instrument . It is one of the few instruments used in Bedouin music . It appears very old...were told by the upscale antique dealer it was around 300 years old. Read story below very interesting.

Size:

Overall Ht. 27"

Diam. of pot 8.75 in.

Ht. of pot 8.75 in.

Diam. of opening: 2.75 in.

Length of wood pestle: 2 feet

Following excerpt was taken from Wikipedia:

A mihbaj ( Arabic : مهبا�¬ ‎ ) is a traditional Bedouin implement, made of a wooden base with a two foot-long pestle , that serves both as a coffee grinder and as a percussion instrument . It is one of the few instruments used in Bedouin music .

Coffee and Hospitality
Continental Crafts was a wonderful importing business in Cambridge. It was owned byOmar Khudari, who traveled extensively in the Middle East, shopping for antiques, artifacts and traditional clothing, as well as handcrafts and household items. He was a great source when we needed Arabic objects to sell or display at international festivals. He knew the origins and history of each item and enjoyed sharing his knowledge. During a program we offered in the Semitic Museum at Harvard University, Mr. Khudari explained and demonstrated the traditional Arab custom of hospitality, serving freshly made coffee to guests. Using a beautiful old Bedouin coffee grinder, he drummed a haunting rhythm while he prepared the drink. He explained that, according to custom, each head of household took a turn inviting the elders to coffee with an individualized rhythm on his drum that identified the tent that was hosting the 'coffee break.' T was also a special tray with traditional tools for roasting the coffee beans, a long-handled pot for brewing coffee, and small attractive cups to serve it in. Festivals and holidays were times to offer hospitality and baking goodies was an important part of the preparation. A favorite cookie is ma'amoul, a dome shaped pastry stuffed with nuts or dates. Woman had wooden cookie molds of different sizes, with carved decorations in the hollow for turning out 'designer' cookies. Serrated tongs were also used for decorating the tops of cookies for those with the patience for this painstaking artistry!

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