A Valentine's gift idea from the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog: a Copper Alembic Perfume Distiller.
Handcrafted in the Iberian Peninsula by Al-Ambik, makers of fine distilling instruments since 1853, this copper alembic distiller is reminiscent of those used for over 1,200 years to extract essential oils from plants for use in perfumes. It was invented around 775 A.D. by Jabir Ibn Haiyan (Geber), renowned as the Father of Chemistry. Simply place water and fragrant plant leaves (such as lavender, peppermint, or thyme) into the 2 2/3-quart cucurbit, light the oil lamp and place it under the cucurbit. As the water boils, steam extracts essential oils from the plant and fills the vessel with oil vapor. The oil vapor passes from the cucurbit through the swan-neck tube and, once it reaches the water-filled condensing pot, it is cooled and converted into a concentrated liquid. The aromatic oil is deposited into a copper cooling cup for use in perfumes.
$350 at Hammacher Schlemmer. Many thanks to Kelly Red for the link!
This is a Great Idea! I have always loved having one alembic… xx
🙂
this is no longer available at HS!
That is really cool. It would be a neat gift for the perfumista who has everything.
Yep!
And when you’re fed up with making perfume, you can probably make some moonshine with it.
😉
I should hope so!
Awesome idea!!
How much fun is that? I want 10. Ha. If I had lots of $$ to spare and a place to put it.
It would be great fun. But knowing me, I’d use it twice and then it would gather dust.
I am with you on that…twice, three times max…it is pretty cool though.
I’ve always wanted an alembic, which I fancy would go nicely with my astrolabe.
But realistically — even if I come up with 30 dozen roses, 10,000+ jasmine flowers, and get a champaca tree to grow in the Hudson HIghlands, what are the odds of my being able to produce Joy?
Ah, the odds of that are not so good, LOL…
I wouldn’t even care if the perfume wasn’t a masterpiece (and let’s face it, it almost certainly wouldn’t be)–how cool would it be to be able to wear perfume that I made? I already have a number of the raw ingredients in my garden–roses, lilies, mint, rosemary, a lemon tree, and two bay laurels.
These alembics are also available at http://www.essentialoil.com (which is a local company here in Portland, OR) in smaller (.7 liter for 157.00) and much larger sizes. They even have a tiny decorative one.
Not affiliated, just found this co. because I bike past their building in Sellwood. Plus I want one as well.
Thanks — this is something I’ve never looked into!
How very cool!
I would be happy just HAVING it, never mind using it. I could display it next to the $3000 copper and brass espresso pump I’m never going to be able to afford.
Gracious, I wish i’d had this when I lived in South Floprida and had jasmine bushes planted all over my yard! What fun I’d have!