I bought this triple barrel Probat sample roaster in 1986. I believe it was made pre-1940s. Can anyone help me confirm this?

I was told their fabrication number lists the machine number for the year it was manufactured, then the year it was made. This one says 7515, suggesting it’s the 75th machine built in 1915. It’s hard to imagine this thing is over 110 years old.

Thornton Family Coffer Roasters uses it today, assisting our purchasing and QA while we buy raw coffee.

In 1986 an owner at Coffee Bean International, Jeff Ferguson asked me to find and buy a solid sample roaster to replace our broken glass Sirocco air roaster.

I found this in a magazine for used equipment. I don’t remember who we bought it from. It was shipped from Minnesota.

I called their landline listed and eventually followed up via US mail with a $2300 check. Purchase by CBI.

Between 1986 and 2014 we roasted tens of thousands of samples over nearly 20 years. I estimate, based on our usual amount of cuppings per day, we’ve roasted over 50,000 roasts on it. I know this thing like the back of my hand and today, it’s condition and operation has had no degradation since 1986.

I left CBI and Farmer Brothers in 2015. I offered to buy it. They sold it to me.

There are a number of these sample roasters almost exactly like this being used today. But what makes this roaster even more unique, aside from its age:

* It’s the only one of this style I’ve seen that has a nickel like snakeskin drum wrap. I’ve only seen sheet metal on others similar to it
* It was build in Germany when nickel was being hoarded for war usage.
* it is virtually indestructible with a weight of 200+ lbs.
* the drums have oil bushings rather than bearings
* it can and has been operated using natural gas and propane (I converted it to propane a few years ago and placed it on a rolling cart so it is mobile and can be taken anywhere).
* after so many years it still runs like new, at least for the last 40 years I’ve been using it. All parts are original except for the drive motor and vent pipes.