halloween

boo!

a spoonful

I have missed out on some 1,204,304 hazeline cream spoon corkscrews over the years… I keep bidding, but keep missing out on being the winning bidder. Okay, maybe the number of hazeline spoons that have been on eBay is slightly less, but I have yet to get one.

Well, today, I managed to cough up enough cash to get a spoon/corkscrew. This one is unmarked, but looks pretty darn close to the original 1882 williamson patent drawings (patent # 264,391). It will make a nice addition to the collection, and is one of my best 6 of 2008!. I mean, I just sent in the best 6 of 2007 to the quarterly worme, and this is the first corkscrew purchased, so by default…

the only bidder

It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while an item is listed on eBay for a week, and it gets one solitary lonely bid. Now, if you are the seller of said item, that is a problem. If you are the buyer of said item, cool beans!

And, last night this happened several times. DB won a collection of matchbook covers, one of which is an ad for "the corkscrew" presumably a pub/bar of some kind, and I picked up a 1950’s 8×10 photo of the corkscrew collection at Christian Brothers, and a 1899 Converse patent cork puller with advertising across the sheath.

Now, you might say… "well, perhaps you were the only bidder because no one else would want those, that, or this." Perhaps that is true, but I say keep ’em coming!

reunited with a traded corkscrew

At last year’s JFO (just for openers) convention, I worked a deal with a fellow collector–after several beers–and he walked away with some lovely corkscrews, and I a U-NEEK. One corkscrew that was included in the deal was a Thiery and Croselmire sterling overlay piece with cut-aways that revealed the antler handle underneath. I had just acquired another similar piece, so, I figured it was going to a good home, so what the heck?

So, earlier this week, imagine my surprise when I saw the very piece listed on eBay!!! It seems my trading partner has decided to part with a couple of items. And, the silver piece was one of them. I placed a snipe bid, and hoped for the best.

And, it seems the corkscrew gods have smiled upon me, as the corkscrew is now mine!!! (or, mine again!!!).

the best 6 (i think this is final)

1. Joshua Barnes’ 1876 American patent – single helix variant unmarked

2. Crosby Pup Corkscrew

3. Folding peapod style corkscrew, unmarked brass shell.

4. Wilson Brady’s 1917 American patented U-NEEK cork puller, marked U-NEEK and PATD.

5. James Edwards Wilson’s 1877 British patent “Wilson I”– double helix, miniature with an ivory handle, marked S. PATT with a small bell.

6. English boot pull / horseman’s tools, with folding corkscrew and buttonhook.

putting together a best 6

November 1 is the deadline for the best 6 for the Quarterly Worme (the publication of the CCCC). Last year, there were only a few that were submitted, so I have been e-urging people to put together their 6’s and submit them for publication. That said, compiling a best 6 is not an easy task; unless of course I mean, you have only found 6 corkscrews all year.

In looking at the various members past best 6’s, they take different takes on the practice. For me, I stick to the best 6 acquired during the calendar year. Pictured below are a 3 of corkscrews which I am considering. Of course, the best 6 isn’t due for a week, so these may change. It is entirely possible that something remarkable will find its way into the collection over the next couple of days.

crosby pup arrives

The crosby pup corkscrew arrived in the mail yesterday, and I am quite pleased. And, I officially added my name to the list of known crosby pup possess-er’s.

on another note, I was informed that the chalice with the corkscrew emblazoned on the side is indeed, NOT the holy grail, and merely a goblet from a canadian restaurant.

the holy grail…

Sir Lancelot: We were in the nick of time. You were in great peril.

Sir Galahad: I don’t think I was.

Sir Lancelot: Yes, you were. You were in terrible peril.

Sir Galahad: Look, let me go back in there and face the peril.

Sir Lancelot: No, it’s too perilous.

Sir Galahad: Look, it’s my duty as a knight to sample as much peril as I can.

Sir Lancelot: No, we’ve got to find the Holy Grail. Come on.

Sir Galahad: Oh, let me have just a little bit of peril?

Whether this is truly the holy grail, we shall never know. But, it is a chalice featuring a corkscrew! And, little peril was involved. Check the picture!

karl-alfred/ popeye

I have long wanted a popeye corkscrew, and have hemmed and hawed over the price when offered ones in the past. Well, one was listed the other day with a relatively fair price, so I snapped it up. And, this morning I went through Don’s book, and then the Scandinavian Corkscrews book (Berntson / Per Ekman) to get more information on the piece. Well, it seems there are variations in finish, markings, and size. So, it looks like I may need a couple more popeyes/karl-alfreds!

Knight price and a J. Plant two Pillar

At last check the knight corkscrew is up to 910$.

On the local corkscrew front, there is this little antique shop up the street that I didn’t even know existed, and I ventured out over the last couple of days to see what was there. And, there are corkscrews. The picture below is the most fascinating one. A signed J. Plant two pillar corkscrew! Unfortuntately the worm is short. I brought it home to take pictures, but am pretty sure it will go back to the shop. That is, unless, someone would like to make an offer for it–as the dealer gave me permission to ask around.