Late 18th century antique silver plated coffee biggins (percolator)

A biggin, also known as a coffee biggin, is a type of coffee brewer that is composed of two chambers, one above the other. The top chamber holds the ground coffee, and the bottom chamber holds the brewed water. A removable filter, typically made of metal, separates the two chambers. The coffee is brewed by pouring hot water into the top chamber, and the liquid coffee then drips through the filter into the bottom chamber. The coffee can then be poured from the bottom chamber into a cup or pot to be served. The Biggin was mainly used in 19th century, and largely replaced by other coffee brewing techniques such as the French press and the drip brew.