Every once in a while, I will be thumbing through O’Leary’s book on American corkscrews, and I will run across a photo and think to myself (and to be honest, sometimes I say this aloud) why haven’t I ever found this.
One of these particular items isn’t that desirable, and unless you care about can-openers with corkscrews attached, you might just skip that page. Well, probably not as the reverse page features the Dodge patent, the Rees patent, and a Gilchrist bar screw.
Still, in all the years of hunting and gathering, I have yet to see this particular corkscrew available for sale.
As luck would have it, the other day one turned up.
A small simple can-opener with corkscrew, it is and 1908 Clark W. Reynolds patent–which was assigned to The Browne and Dowd Mfg. Co.
Now there are a few versions of this, but the one that I have been after is the miniature one. Believed to be a salesman’s sample, it is marked “THE BROWN LINE FROM KINGSTON.”
On another corkscrew note, there is an antique show on the mainland tomorrow, and I will be heading over. Billed as 70 “fine” antiques dealers, I am guessing if there are any corkscrews to be had, they will be given “fine” prices. But, why not give it a shot.
And, of course the Brimfield countdown has begun. Just 7 days until the September show!
josef@vintagecorkscrews.com corkscrewing around 