I have had this gem of a tabletop still for almost twenty years; it has lived amongst rakes, chickens, hardware and even the goat. It has travelled to umpteen trade shows and now resides semi retired in my office with other shiny copper icons and tools of the trade.
It came to me smuggled off a container shipped to MRR Traders, a wholesaler importer formerly owned by the Berkowitz family of Legal Seafoods. The connection was the most demure and cunning maestro distiller Antonio Nardini. Not that Antonio really does any distilling at all, he is rather the heir currently in a long lineage of great distillations created at Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto. The work began and is listed on every bottle as 1779. This may not necessarily be all that important but for the doktor here after a few thousand investigations in this field I give the title of "platinum status" for this great producer and its range of products.
Antonio is a dear friend and also a bit of a mentor for the field of distillates. He showed me many parameters of production, enjoyment and resapect for spirits. Hishisrorical shop and distillery at the bridge in Bassano is a temple of the roots and the future sightings of appretiation in this field.  It is a must visit if ever between Verona and Venice. He brought to the USA not only classic clear and super riserva grappas, but also amazing almond infusion, acquavite of cedro lemon oil, ruta infusion, an amaro of profound fun called Tagliatelle, and the unique Amaro Liqueur.
We have partied and waxed of ways to make the world a better place with the proper imbibing of quality spirits. We ate white aparagus during the VinItaly times and filled bowls of the classic risi e bisi, a pea infused risotto classic. I competed heavily in after hours studies of new fangled cocktails and shot grappas with no hands for speed and accuracy against the best from Turkey and Colorado.
Antonio scored 6 of these tabletop stills from like a FDS flower store near his home. Simple. In the day almost anything could go on a container in a samples box or carton of POS, point of purchase paper products. The stills made their way around the eastern seaboard. My dear associate Peter Pasten in DC of Obelisk and Two Amys mastered some fig concoctions and hums away in the art of distilling. An old linemate Skip Cribari also tried fruits and working over some hearty Nero d'Avola. My trophy seems to get higher bids in its virgin form, last time around $500.00 for a $25.00 tool. Two of them were sold and one gifted; I have no memory or followup on their destinies.
If you lived in the Veneto, Friuli or maybe even Trentino-Alto-Adige, and were of the past generation meaning born roughly between the wars it is very possible that you had one of these in your home for homeopathic propulsions. Many people distill herbs like chamomille and valerian for stomach and sleeping aids. Mine is inspiration and karma setting.
So in this NE weather of Janaury I set a pledge to wake up earlier, stretch harder, and when the sun hits my computer light the lamp for a corrected tea or coffee and praise the new generation of distillati in moonshine over Sheldonville.