a little more “Pour Time.”

The boxed Anchor Products “Pour Time” arrived in the mail the other day, and it came with instructions… so, here is:

HOW TO INSTALL AND USE YOUR 

“POUR TIME”

HOW TO INSTALL

“POUR TIME”

1. Select the most convenient spot in your kitchen, pantry, or bar…preferably with a wood surface.
2. For best results and leverage, place it approximately waist height.
3. First screw in upper-screw about half-way.  Then hang your “Pour Time” on upper-screw, through the slotted upper-hole in back of case.
4. Insert second screw through lower-hole in case.  Tighten both screws firmly.

HOW TO OPERATE

“POUR TIME”

CAPPED BOTTLES

1. Lift handle until it is parallel to the floor.
2. Slip bottle cap in hook marked, “bottle opener.”
3. Hold bottle in one hand, and with the other hand, pull handle down until cap snaps off.

CANS CONTAINING LIQUIDS

1. Lift “Pour Time” handle to full open position.
2. Reach inside case and flip out ladder with finger.
3. Rest can on step at proper height.
4. Holding can firmly against case, press handle down against top of can.  Cutting tools will punch two holes in with one motion.

CANS CONTAINING LIQUIDS (Cont.)

Use upper step for standard-sized cans, such as beer and juice cans

Use lower-step for large economy-sized cans.

For small condensed-milk-cans, place two such containers on upper step.

Or, you may place on small milk-can atop a standard-size can, using upper step.

CORKED BOTTLES

1. Lift “Pour Time” handle to full open position.
2. Flip corkscrew out of ladder.
3. Lift corkscrew until it is held rigidly against ladder…at about 45o angle upward.
4. Screw bottle-cork into corkscrew.
5. When corkscrew is completely in cork, lower bottle to most conveniently pulling-position.
6. Ease cork out of bottle, unscrew cork from corkscrew.

JFO-ing…

We arrived at the JFO a couple of days ago, and there have been sales, trades, deals, and dinners thus far…

Tommy arrived in his low-rider (more on this later) a day before us, and had already made some deals with Tipped-Worm-Johnny, and we arrived the following day, and in short order were throwing corkscrews on the tables in the common buy and sell room.

After exchanging pleasantries with attendees, the dealing began, with the first trade being between TWJ and I where I ended up with a 1947 Richard Itaru Nakamura patented “Frame with Slidable Tool Bit.”

At first, I thought I had this example, but after further examination, it looks as though the example that already exists in the collection is a variation of the patent, with this example looking just like the patent drawing. A fabulous piece, it could make the best 6 of the year.

After that first trade a few more were proposed, and in the excitement of the moment, deals were overzealously agreed upon without noticing damage here, or a different variation there. And, in short order, deals were undone, with new deals proposed.

So, there are corkscrews that sit with TWJ in the Josef pile and corkscrews that with me in the TWJ pile, with a deal that will undoubtedly be completed before the weekend is done.

On day two, there was a fun arrival at the JFO, after a lengthy absence, in walked Milt Becker! And, he brought a couple of corkscrews with him; two of which were handed off to me. One was an interesting roundlet, the other a different version of the Lowenstein patent, that I had asked him about a while back.

It was fun to have four ICCA Addicts in the same room, after the last year-plus of not being able to travel or gather.

The meeting is still going, and I have no doubt a few deals will still be made.

Beyond JFO-ing around, tomorrow is also the ICCA Punch / Right’s Reception / Show & Tell, and Sunday will be the ICCA AGM! Both being held via ZOOM.

News about these events to follow!

Until then, here is the Nakamura and Lowenstein:

The Lowenstein carries advertising for:

FRANCIS H. LEGGETT & CO., NEW YORK on one side, and FINE FLAVORING EXTRACTS on the reverse… A nice addition to the growing Lowenstein corkscrew collection.

Also, Happy Birthday Bob Gilbride!!!

Back to the low-rider Tommy thing…

Tommy on another collector’s behalf, visited an auction house to pick up the merchandise that they had recently purchased at auction. And, after loading it is in his car, he is riding pretty darn low. It ended up being a ton of stuff, and we will see if we can’t lighten his load (and raise his car’s profile) by making a few corkscrew deals with him.

Packing up for the JFO…

The lovely bride and I left the island yesterday with several boxes of openers and corkscrews (and wine), as we begin the trek to Quakertown, PA for the Just for Openers convention. Tales of our travels to follow:

Stay tuned.

WHY NOT GET AN EXTRA “POUR TIME” FOR YOUR KITCHEN, PORTABLE BAR, PATIO, OR DEN?”

Why not? I mean, how could you not want an extra “pour time” for your portable bar…

Not that we have a portable bar, but if you did, you certainly need the appropriate implements. And, the Pour Time, certainly was/is.

sYes, this probably look familiar as it is the Anchor Products wall mount corkscrew.

A nice version with the original box and instructions, it is currently on its way to the island.

As the box explains, it “opens anything that pours”

A neat PAT PEND marked piece, and I will bring my extra to the upcoming JFO meeting.

See you all in Quakertown in a couple of days!

DON’T LET ANY WOMAN STRUGGLE with a corkscrew and risk cutting her hands to open tightly corked catsup, olive, pickle, medicine, or any other bottles.

From a 1903 issue of Harper’s Monthly Magazine

The YANKEE Cork Puller Should be in Every Home

DON’T LET ANY WOMAN STRUGGLE with a corkscrew and risk cutting her hands to open tightly corked catsup, olive, pickle, medicine, or any other bottles.

THE YANKEE is screwed against upright surface ; Icebox, Sideboard, Door Frame, or Wall.

IT’S ALWAYS THERE.  No hunting for a corkscrew, always ready to draw the tightest cork from any bottle.  It never slips, never breaks the bottle.

Hold the bottle in position.  Raise the handle and the screw enters the cork.  Lower the handle, the tightest cork comes out, clean and whole, leaving no broken bits in the bottle, ad it is automatically discharged from the machine.

THE YANKEE CANNOT BREAK.  Considering that this cork puller is practically indusestructbil and cannot get lost, you must realize that while its possession may be a luxury its purchase is eurel an economy. Settle this problem for a life time by ordering to-day. 

Yes, there was a Brimfield Day Two

If you were wondering… Yes, there was indeed a Brimfield Day Two…albeit, a quick one.

As it happened, after having a lovely dinner at The Student Prince, RL and I agreed to meet in the lobby at 5:20 AM, in anticipation of our drive to Brimfield.

And, we arrived just as the 6:00 field opened.

We each paid our 5 dollars to gain admission, and the hunt began.

With RL heading one direction, and I heading another, after about 30 minutes we crossed paths, and compared what had been found.

Then, we would retrace the other person’s steps just in case something else had been put out.

Nothing terrific in that particular field, but I did pick up an opener that would be fodder for the Just For Openers convention, which is held later this month, a somewhat not interesting Clough, and a much more interesting Sterling perfume corkscrew.

After scouring the fields, RL and I met up for a few moments, and discussed his need to get the railroad station to begin his trip back south.

With the fields being somewhat small this particular Brimfield, we decided on taking off, and seeing if he couldn’t get an earlier train.

We decided to leave Brimfield and head to the station, and if I had time I would circle back to the fields.

With the drive back to the train station being all of 30+ minutes, I dropped RL at the station, and circled back…

Heart of the Mart, and been open for all of 5 minutes when I parked the car, and got to the field… And, there were indeed a couple of corkscrews, nothing worth buying, but there were corkscrews.

Still, it was worth the trip back, as I got to see some old friends, and talk corkscrews…

And, of course, there were other treasures to be had…

The most tempting was the boxing ring bell.

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Then it was time to hit the road, and make it back in time for the last ferry to Vinalhaven. I have no doubt that there were corkscrews to be had in the following days, and we will try again next year.

See you in Brimfield in May!

Brimfield Day One

What? You’re in Brimfield?

Yes!

After a year plus, Brimfield is back.

Well, technically it was back in July, but this is the first show I have been to since two years ago or so… with the shows being cancelled due to COVID-19.

And, while day one was a fabulous day of walking around the fields, and reconnecting with old friends. The show wasn’t what it used to be, with a sincere lack of dealers in many of the fields. This is not to say there weren’t plenty of dealers there, and there were a few bits to be found here and there, but some of the fields that might have been populated with 400 dealers in years previous might have had perhaps 50.

The buyers were ready to buy, but alas…

I have no doubt this is a result of the pandemic, and word on the street that Hertan’s, which opens tomorrow, has no space left and is filled with dealers. This could be a result of new ownership, and her ability to promote promote promote.

Still, a great day, and as it happened, RL planned to come to the show as well. So, staying at the same hotel, we drove in together, and as it was his first ever Brimfield show, I filled him in on where to start, and what times the additional fields opened.

And, over the course of the day we would meet up, walk together, sometimes hunt together, and sometimes retrace one or another’s steps, after discussing this piece or that piece that we saw along our hunt.

Of course, Brimfield is filled with non-corkscrew treasures!

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And, what about corkscrews Josef?

We each managed to find a few, but nothing outstanding.

My best find wasn’t a corkscrew, but instead a Minerva Tastevin in Silver.

It was sitting in a dealer’s case, when I spotted it, When I inquired as to the price, he said, “5 dollars.”

Having not seen any markings, I assumed it was silver-plate. Still, at 5 dollars, why not.

After showing I to RL, when we met up at the next field, he was convinced it was Silver. And, after meeting up with a Silver dealer 15 minutes later, it was confirmed.

There was a Zig-Zag in its box, Williamson Bottle with ad plate, a Williamson champagne tap also in its box, and a nice little Sterling Nifty marked E R A; a couple of T-pulls also found their way into my bag, a couple of wall-mount openers destined for the JFO in two weeks, and a Peugeot Freres figural pepper mill.

That said, it was only the first day, and we head back this morning for day two. We will only do the first two fields, as RL has to head out, and I have to hit the road to make it back home tonight, but you never know what will turn up.

Of course, we had to end day one with the tradition of going to The Student Prince and dine amongst their corkscrew collection.

I did ask the server if I could take just one…

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She humored us…but the answer was no…

I will report back on day two… Stay tuned!!!

Hasselbring Hawk Screw

The other day, the aforementioned little birdie corkscrew arrived on the island. And, it is pretty darn cool.

The Sterling end cap, is marked STERLING and also with the JH mark for John Hasselbring, and there is a monogram present as well–of course you can see the Sterling rivets as well.

I was a bit worried about the tip of the worm, but as it turns out, it is all there.

And, the carving of the hawk (I am guessing a hawk, but definitely some sort of bird of prey) is just fantastic.

A nice addition to the collection!