Coors-Golden Clough

A week or so ago, I word of an online auction that was going to feature several corkscrews.  There were a couple of patents, the best being a Griswold.  That said, the auctioneer had a fairly high opening bid on that particular corkscrew.  Not that it wasn’t a decent price, but if you are starting in the hundreds, where would it go from there.

But, within the many lots of corkscrews (that is many lots of a single corkscrew within each lot) there was an interesting one that I thought might find into my hands, and ultimately into Tipped Worm Johnny’s hands.

While the auction was going to be available for live bidding, it started at 1:00 O’clock Pacific Time–right when I had to be elsewhere.  Coincidentally the latest Don Bull sale was also set to go live at the same time.

I placed an absentee bid, and headed to my appointment.

This morning I got word that I had won the auction, and little Clough/Williamson corkscrew with advertising for COORS-GOLDEN is on it’s way tot he island.

As it happens, the auction didn’t garner much action, with many of the lots being passed upon.  A few really good deals were there to be had!

(I really need to reschedule my appointments around my corkscrew activities)

This morning I emailed TWJ, and explained that I will throw the Coors corkscrew in the Tipped Worm Johnny pile with the other brewery openers / corkscrews that will probably result in some epic trade…at some point.

 

 

Sterling Handle Havell Bow

The other day, on eBay, there was what looked to be a Havell patent bow listed with what normally would be considered a high price considering how often they turn up.

But, the seller listed that it was made out of Sterling Silver.

I checked the other images, and sure enough, the corkscrew was marked STERLING HANDLE.

Armed with this little piece of information, what was an overpriced Havell bow, became a super price for a Sterling bow.

I decided to snap it up.

It arrived today, and it is pretty awesome.

It has this hammered effect, and I haven’t yet polished it up.

Now, it doesn’t carry the patent date on the edge of the bow as the Havell usually does.  And, it does have an interesting marking.

It actually looks like it reads 1987, but once I get a better look at it with a loupe, I will have a better idea.

I did email DB, and he explained that he hasn’t seen another.  Have any of you???

 

 

National Drink Wine Day

February 18th, is National Drink Wine Day!

(for those of you not living in the U.S., feel free to drink along with us).

And, seeing that it is national drink wine day, you might as well break out an antique or vintage corkscrew and pop open that bottle (or bottles).

But, this would lead me to a question.  What corkscrew will you be using?

While a few of the corkscrews in our collection haven’t been tried out, as they look like they wouldn’t work on today’s corks–or they were intended for smaller corks–we tend to try most of them out (at least once).

 

My go to corkscrew is the Tucker patent.  It is such a cool corkscrew to use.

What antique corkscrew do you use on a normal basis (or for special occasions)?

Combination Ice Pick

From Commercial America – Volume 10 (1913)

Combination Ice Pick

The Ira F. White & Son Company, manufactures of household cutlery and hardware, Bloomfield, New Jersey, produce a large variety of articles that are serviceable for the kitchen, such as can openers, bread, butcher, carving, paring and putty knives, slotted vegetable knives, mixing spoons, etc. Among the latest novelties added to this line is the No. 1747-AY Needle Pointed Ice Pick with Cap Lifter and Cork Screw—a combination utensil that is illustrated in the accompanying cut.

There are there styles of this ice pick and bottle opener made. The first, No. 1747-AY, has a needle-point pick of tempered steel, a nickel-plated cap lifter and a double ring corkscrew; therefore it is really three tools in one. The second, No. 147-AY is the same as the above except that it has no corkscrew. The third, No. 747 AY is the same as the first but without the cap lifter. To the housewife who is called upon to crack ice with which to cool the refreshments served to guests, or to prepare ice for the sick whose parched lips and tongue must be cooled and moistened, the utility of such a tool such as this makes a special appeal.

The utensil also has an additional feature that makes it of interest to those who wish an advertising medium. The handle of the pick is made of waterproof material, in two colors, and there is sufficient space on the handle for an imprint bearing any firm name and business. It therefore lends itself to the advertising purposes of ice plants, dairies and similar concern that want their name and business always before those who naturally are consumers of their products.

With the illustration being a little hard to make out, I went a bit further and found a similar article in Hardware Dealers’ Magazine, Volume 4 from 1914, the woodcut from that publication was a bit clearer.

 

With a bit more searching, in a issue of Refrigerating World, Volumes 47-48 (again from 1914) I actually uncovered an ad from Ira White & Sons, and this shows the corkscrew pretty clearly!

While the opener on the end of the ice pick says PAT. PEND in the illustrations, I haven’t yet been able to find a patent awarded to Ira White.  Still, it could be someone else’s patent, and Ira F. White & Son were merely manufacturing them.  Or, it could very well be that no patent was awarded.

That said, if you have an ice pick with a Clough corkscrew in the end of it, we now know who was making it!

 

 

a circuitous route

On Thursday, I drove down to Portland, and after spending the night, took an early morning flight to Philadelphia.  And, after almost missing my next flight–they were closing the gates as I arrived, I boarded another flight, this time to Los Angeles.

Upon my arrival the lovely bride picked me up at LAX, and we headed to Long Beach–first for a bit of lunch, and then to visit the grand nieces.  Twin girls, and they are adorable.

It was going to be a quick trip for me.  The lovely had been in Long Beach for a week, and I would only be there for the weekend.  So, not much time for antiquing.  Still, I had heard there was a swap meet / flea market taking place in Costa Mesa, so on Sunday morning I headed over.

Lots of tube sox.  Lots of used tools.  Lots of old fishing gear.

And, lots of skateboards.  Well, not lots, but quite a few.  Not surprising really, and I had hoped to find the particular model I skated in my youth, but to no avail.

For those wondering, it was the Vision Mark Gonzales model that was the skateboard of choice back in the day.  And, I can’t actually recall how many of this particular board I had, but it had to be at least 5 or 6.

Not that I really need another skateboard–yes, I still have one.

That said, there were not a lot of corkscrews to be had in Costa Mesa.  There were a couple of recent examples, but I came away empty handed.

Oh well…  Maybe next time.

The trip however was awesome.  It was great to spend time with family, and a fair amount of time in the sun on the beach.

So, why does the title of the blog mention a circuitous route?  You ask yourself.

Well, on our flight back on Monday, we left LAX, and headed back to Philadelphia, and then boarded the next flight from Philly to Portland.  And, after 45 minutes of flying time, the pilot came on the PA, and announced that due to high winds, we would not be able to land in Portland.

Nope!

Not landing.

Instead, we were turning around, and heading back to Philadelphia.

After landing, and finding out we were now scheduled on a flight the next morning, the lovely and I found a hotel, made reservations, and headed over.

The following morning, everything went off without a hitch, and we made it to Portland–unburied both cars that were encased in snow–and headed back to the island.

No corkscrews were found at the Philadelphia airport or its environs either…

When we got home however, after a trip to the post office, there were indeed corkscrews!

There was the Junior Cork Puller Clough advertising piece:

And, a nice corkscrew whistle acquired in a recent trade:

Also, a F. White patent – marked FOUR-IN-ONE WARRANTED CAN & BOTTLE OPENER KNIFE PAT. FEB.10,03.  This one is currently missing its Clough corkscrew attachment.

This will be fixed shortly.

And, finally the corkscrew I was most anxiously awaiting: an 1894 German DRGM 28289 by Hugo Bohme.  A rare piece, with the spikes inside the spring.  It is marked between the spikes with DRGM.  And, is in pretty nice shape.

Of course, as it isn’t American, it will probably head into someone else’s collection.

Whatcha got to trade???

 

 

 

I am not ignoring you. I am on vacation…

I know, that normally there would be some brief musing here about a recent corkscrew discovery, but I am actually in California for a few days, enjoying the sunshine and spending time with family.

Corkscrew stories in a couple of days upon our return to the island…

Another Curley Variant

As mentioned yesterday, I am working on a new project that surrounds the corkscrews of Thomas Curley.

I remembered an unusual version that BT had in his collection, but I couldn’t remember if it was a wooden handle version or a metal handle version.  So, I sent off an email to him, and in short order, I received an email with said a picture of said variant.

A metal handle piece, signed for T. Curley, the bell attached to the corkscrew has “windows” instead being a solid piece.

 

Very cool indeed!

Speaking of Curleys, the one that I mentioned the other day arrived.  It is indeed a bit “chippier” than the one in the collection, but it was a nice deal.  

It is, however, a double.  

Anyone want to make a trade?

 

There are a few others enroute to the island. Not Curleys mind you, but a nice little advertising piece.

What will turn up next? You just never know!