Spring is in the air…

Well, not in Maine.

But, pitchers and catchers will soon be reporting to Spring Training, and that is close enough.

And, as it happened, a deal was struck today for a couple of spring assist corkscrews.

Neither are American (German actually) but they are both pretty cool.

 

 

One looks to have inner spikes, like the Bohme, and in perusing the World Class Corkscrews book, it looks like it is a Sommer’s registration.

Once they arrive, I will publish better photos…

Corkscrew news may be delayed

The lovely personal personal trainer and I are taking a few days away from Maine.  Corkscrew news may be delayed…

However, should a corkscrew make our way whilst on Amelia Island, I will report back here.

Until then, spa treatments await.

taking a chance

So, while I was on the ferry this morning to Vinalhaven, I was checking out ebay, and in a non-corkscrew category, a Haynes-Bates Axe had recently been listed with a Buy it Now.

Unfortunately, the seller didn’t opt to open the handle to reveal what should include a fold out corkscrew.

It wasn’t crazy money, so I quickly snapped it up.

When it arrives, I will share the big reveal!  Hopefully there is indeed a corkscrew.  If not, well, ya gotta take a chance every once in a while.

Simmons 1894

From an 1894 Simmons Hardware catalog:

S. H. Co. Original Package…

Interesting negotiating tactic…

After our respective yoga studio and gym visits, and requisite showers afterwards, the lovely lovely bride and I hopped in the car and headed down to a monthly antique show in Bath, Maine.

This particular show has about 50 dealers, and I have set up there myself in the past.  I have picked up a couple of corkscrews there over the years, but largely it is just a fun trip down the coast, and our antiquing adventure is usually followed by brunch on the way back up the coast.

We entered the show and made our way through the first few booths.  There were a few interesting primitives, a Kruger cone top beer can, a cool “No Hunting.  No Fishing” sign which was hand-painted, but was also signed by some distant relative of a friend we have, and a couple of intriguing culinary implements.

As we made our way to the end of the first aisle, I looked down at a table, and there were two corkscrews; a Williamson with a price tag of 25$, and a 1885 Weir’s patent marked with the 1885 patent date and…”THE RELIABLE,” also with a 25$ price tag.

I picked up the Weir, and mentioned to the lovely that I was going to buy it, and I turned to get the dealer’s attention.  He raised two hands in the air, as I asked whose item the corkscrew was.

“Ten” he yelled.

“What?”  I responded.

“Ten, on the corkscrew.”

But, it’s marked 25?  I thought to myself.

I reached into my pocket and handed him the ten dollar bill.

The lovely had moved on to the next booth while this was all taking place.  And when I caught up with her, she asked what I paid.

“Ten”  I responded.

“What?” she asked.

“But it was marked 25.”  She remarked.

Not that I really needed another 1885 Weir’s Reliable, but I am sure someone else might.

 

 

 

Erie Specialty Mfg. Co.

I will preface this by saying, I don’t really collect bar screws.  I mean, I do have the Frary Fifth Avenue, and I would happily add the Frary Sullivan, but usually bar screws that find their way to the island, ultimately… find their way into other collections.

That said, the other day a really cool looking Walker patent bar screw came up on eBay, and I just couldn’t help myself.

I really dig the the red advertising place that reads “”ERIE SPECIALTY MFG. CO. ERIE, PA, PAT APLD.”

 

Riddle Answered…

 

The Riddle and Answer comes from a text entitled The Puzzling Cap; A Choice Collection of Riddles in Familiar Verse, With a curious C it to each.

 

Circa 1805, and published by John Adams

Riddle me this…

YE Misses fo fair,

And ye Mafters declare

What I am, where I live, whence I came.

You’ll own that I’m pretty,

And wonderous witty, [name,

When once you have hit on my

I am broad, yet I’m taper,

As fair as white paper,

Yet as ink I am black, without

quibble;

And tho’ clad in gold,

To declare I am bold,

I am neither coxcob nor fribble.

Altho’ I can’t fpeak

Englifh, Latin, or Greek,

Yet in learning and fense I a-

I am riddled o’er, [bound ;

But behind and before,

And you need not look far e’er

I’m found.

Hochstadter Bottle Roundlet Corkscrew

The other day, I managed to acquire online a Williamson Bottle Roundlet with advertising for Hochstadter.  The price was very fair, and it should be arriving in the coming days.

After securing the deal, I proceeded to do a little research, and ran into Don Bull’s website, where he listed the known examples (at the time) of advertisements on Williamson Bottle Roundlets, and as I perused down the list, and got to the H’s.

Harp

Hays

Hicks

Hochstadter.

Okay, there it is.

But, in his description of the advertisement it reads:

Hochstadter’s Leipziger Burgunder Wein Bitters The Hochstadter’s Co. New York.

I went back to the photos of the roundlet that is currently in the mail.

The advertising on this one reads:

Drink Hochstadters’s Leipziger Burgunder, Wein Bitters, Hochstadter Co, Proprietors, New York.

Just a minor difference of course, except Don also notes that the worm is in the top of the roundlet, and this example folds out from the bottom.

Interesting that there would be two different advertisements on the two variations of the Williamson bottle roundlet.

I will provide better pictures when it arrives, but a neat addition to the collection.

If you have a Hochstadter’s Bottle Roundlet in your collection, which version of the advertisement does it have?