indian corkscrew

After searching the much beloved ebay, I found an interesting carved corkcrew in ebay.uk.  After a couple of emails, the seller was convinced that doing an overseas deal was an okay thing.  And, it arrived two days ago…pictured below it is breathtaking!

 

Also, I just listed stuff on ebay under my ebay ID "iwascorkscrewed"

nice surprises

A couple of days ago, I found a small wooden corkscrew on ebay.  It was described as having a wobbly worm, but said nothing else.  There was a buy it now of 5.95, so I took a chance as the handle looked remarkably like my goodyear patent corkscrew.

 

It arrived yesterday, and after a gentle turn of the handle…indeed it is a 3 inch version of the 1851 patent.  It is unmarked, but a neat addition!  Does anyone have a marked one for sale or trade?

 

flea market and birfdays

I hit the flea market today, and found a hasselbring opener corkscrew and several clough corkscrews…not to mention 14 overpriced direct pulls.  More importantly however was the birfday gift sitting in our living room (tomorrow I am 32 for the 7th time) a Specialized Allez Elite Road Bike…looks like I have to start training for triathalons!

 

No corkscrew news other than there is a white scottie dog syroco that is nearing 1000 bucks…you guys are crazy!

 

hitting the mall (antique mall that is)

I had some free time yesterday, so I ventured up to an antique mall that I hadn’t visited in some time.  In the past there was a corkscrew case, as one of the CCCC’ers sold corkscrews there.  He has since moved to California, so the number of corkscrews to be found there could be rather limited.  I went anyway.

 

After finding 27 of those horrible grapevine handled corkscrews, I did see several more desirable corkscrews lying about.

 

However, I only purchased one.  A stained waiter syroco that is missing his nose…apparently he had too much to drink and fell flat on his face.  Still he was a fair price. 

 

Pictured below are some of the mall offerings.

 

 

creating the competition

A while back Tommy, a golfing buddy, had expressed an interest in collecting corkscrews.  Shortly after giving him Don’s book, I was sniped on a toolmaster by him.  I was okay with it, as I have several…but, I had hoped it wouldn’t happen too often.

 

so…We played golf (9 holes) on Wednesday and talked more about corkscrews…After shooting a blistering 49 (ouch!), I returned home and pulled up ebay before heading to school.  I saw an interesting rack and pinion piece, but left it alone as I have several. 

 

I grabbed coffee, and hit refresh, refresh, refresh, and suddenly the rack had a buy it now on it of 35 $.  A fair price, so I snagged it.

 

While at school, I checked my email, and a note arrived from Tommy expressing a "good job" on the rack.  It was HIM; He had asked for the BIN…   I apoligized for taking it, but he explained no harm no foul.  To which I replied, "you have learned well grasshopper…"

 

So…ebayers beware….Tommy is hyped up for corkscrews, and apparently is looking to BIN people.

 

 

grading papers and corkscrewing around

It is the tail end of the semester where I teach, so I am finishing up student grades and am looking forward to a summer of cavorting around, hunting for corkscrews, and traveling a bit.

 

A couple of corkscrews have arrived in the mail.  Most notably a clough power cone.  A really ingenious piece, however, it is at the same time so simple mechanically…

 

Off to play 9 holes!!!

 

no corkscrewing in Williamsburg

Well, as it turned out, meeting up with Paul in Williamsburg wasn’t to be.  So, I missed out on the famous syroco molds, and he missed out on, …um….er….me seeing is syroco waiter mold.

 

that said, it was a fun trip filled with wine, wine, a little wine, shooting 1 over on the back 9 at spotswood, and shooting a dismal 107 on the gold course at the Golden Horseshoe….as mentioned long ago…whose idea was it to put lakes on golf courses anyway.

 

Whilst I was in Virginia, Marky Mark was corkscrew hunting in Pennsylvania, and via email I had received a series of messages with no sender ID, but clearly a corkscrew hunter…shortly after reading them it was clearly Mark…but, I appreciated the text messages as I think they are very much like we all feel while hunting for corkscrews…more often than not finding nothing…or worse finding something common for outrageous prices…I have included some of his messages below.  Keep in mind.  There was no signature, just the sentence, and occassional picture.

 

message #2   – Still looking…saw a perpetual but missing its frame…heartbreaking.

 

message # 5  – How about a rare toolmaster for 545$ moron!

 

message # 6 – Done for the day…found a brewpub…maybe tomorrow.

 

 

Anyway…you get the idea.  Of course, when I returned home…there were a couple others with pictures…And, I am hoping the direct pull, sterling roundlet, and anything else interesting was priced fairly.

 

 

 

off to williamsburg

Off to williamsburg for the weekend.  I will try and catch up with Paul, play a little golf, drink a little wine, and hopefully come away with a corkscrew or two.  No ebay for me, but given Mark is also going on a 4 day corkscrew hunt in Pennsylvania…looks like ebay will be ripe for the taking.

 

the picture below is my new (proposed) business card…what do you think… yea nor nay

 

 

walker for clough

As I was walking up the ninth fairway, my cell phone rang telling me I had a voice mail.  So, whilst I was waiting for this cat that couldn’t hit a five wood to save his life to catch up to me, I listened intently.  The trade is done!  Milt sends a clough power cone to me, and the over sized walker heads to Milt.

 

Both sides are happy, I get the corkscrew I have been hunting for for some time, and Milt will now be able to open his 6 liter bottles of wine much easier.

 

On a side trade, I am sending a clough double helix, and getting a Williamson’s Power Screw advertisement in return. 

 

I will post pictures when it arrives, but it is quite exciting.  Two of the 6 corkscrews, i really wanted to find this year have already found their way to me…  Now….where can I get my hands on a griswold….?????

trading

After posting the oversized walker corkscrew on the CCCC page, I was contacted by another collector who wants to either buy, or trade, for the piece.

 

Given that CB is selling off his collection, I am guessing that the KITF (keep it in the family) mantra is no longer part of our little consortium, and I am always willing to make a deal.

 

And, a picture of some awesome corkscrews was sent as trade bait; including a lews patent, clough power cone, vicktoria bell, and others.  I have recently (re)developed a love of American corkscrew patents and the clough is  a piece I have long been after–so I am leaning that direction.

 

Also, I received the Strait patent yesterday and it is beautiful…and, a little oil had the bell moving up and down the threads as it was designed.

 

Pictures to follow…if I can find the cord for my camera