A wonderful moment in history took place this month when the Galletti family visited with Piero Bambi and the espresso machine that started it all, the Fiorenza.

In 1927 an ambitious investor/ designer approached Giuseppe Bambi with a sketch of an espresso machine. Mr. Galleto brought Mr. Bambi the design that would turn into the Fiorenza, and with that Guiseppe Bambi fell in love with handmaking espresso machines. In the first series about 8 machines were created, finely printed on the body “Brevetti Galletti) or the Galletti patent.

The Firenza was recovered about 5 years ago by La Marzocco and sat proudly at the entrance of our factory in Scarperia. The first talking point and item saw by thousands when visiting our location. Now it has moved to the newly build Accademia del Caffé Espresso.

We had no contact with the family that helped start it all. Until we received an email from Lavinia Catellani, Ascanio Galletti’s great-granddaughter. After having stumbled upon a photo of Fiorenza published on the Accademia Instagram profile, Lavinia wanted to take her grandfather to see the Fiorenza. A family story told to him by his late father Ascanio.

This is how we had the immense pleasure of hosting the entire Galletti-Catellani family at the Academy on February 14th. A meeting full of emotion, meaning, and precious information shared with the purpose of reconstructing a piece of our history.

Since the meeting between Piero Bambi and Giuseppe Galletti, we have been able to paste together the early years of Giuseppe and Ascanio, when they both worked at Officine Galileo. This may be the true beginning of a story that has lasted for over ninety years and retold by Ascanio Galletti.