This afternoon, the little pharmacist’s spoon arrived, and it is both very small, and very cool.
And, it is actually marked on the backside of the spoon, STERLING.
Now, I am not completely sure that this is a Pharmacist’s spoon, but it certainly is a spoon, certainly is small, certainly is a corksrew, and certainly is STERLING.
A neat addition to the collection!
This morning, over coffee, I happened upon eBay (shocking, I know), and there was an interesting spoon with corkscrew listed for a fair buy it now, but with a best offer option.
At first, I thought it might be a made up piece, but after looking at the pictures, I figured it was worth taking a chance on it.
When it arrives, I will give better pictures and measurements.
Could this be a pharmacists spoon/spatula to help create medicines?
It’s that time of year, and the latest collectorcorkscrews.com auction is open for listings.
You can link to the auction site here.
I have picked up a few over the last year that will be hitting the auction block, and just to get your pavlovian-corkscrew-juices flowing…
It will be exciting to see what others put up for auction.
And, as always, when the auction happens, I will report back with news of bidding wars, acquisitions, and any other corkscrew-worthy news!
Bidding starts November 4th!
Bid high, and bid often!
From an 1881 issue of Scientific American:
NEW CAN AND BOTTLE OPENER
The engraving shows an improved opener for cans and bottles, recently patented by Mr. I. N. Arment of Dayton, Washington Ter. On the top of the main bar forming the handle of several parts is a fixed brush for cleaning off the top of the can or bottle. On one side, and near the center of the handle there is a groove in which is pivoted a corkscrew which is held in either of its positions by a spring in the bottom of the groove. In one end of the handle is pivoted a short, stub knife blade, to be used for cleaning off wax, cutting wires, etc., and at the opposite end is a sharp curved spear which is designed to be thrust into the center of the top of a can. This end o of the handle is slotted and contains a follower which carries a double-edged knife and a small roller. The knife is to be forced into the top of the can, and the roller presses the side of the can at the top, to guide the knife.
A spiral spring is attached to the end of the handle and the follower, and tends to drawer the latter toward the end of the handle. This device insures a contact of the roller with the side of the can.
This tool, unlike many combination tools, is convenient and useful in it all of its parts.
From an 1876 issue of Scientific American:
IMPROVED FAUCET AND VENT.
The function of the device illustrated in the annexed engravings it twofold : First to admit air into a barrel, ,keg, or other vessel, so as to counterbalance the atmospheric pressure at the outlet, and thus allow for discharge of contained liquid ; and, second, to act as a faucet for drawing off the liquid, without, however, admitting air to fill the vacuum in the vessel due to the escape. Thus the invention may be used either as a vent or a faucet, and to this end a sleeve, provided with oppositely located air vent and liquid discharge holes, is applied to a hollow gimlet-pointed stem, so at to be rotated thereon, and locked in either of the two positions necessary to the performance of one or the other of the above stated functions. The invention also consists of a corkscrew and brush attachment, and in certain other features, due reference wo which will be made as we proceed.
The implement is composed of a T shaped open-ended tube, A, and a gimlet tube, B in which is a spring-acted plunger rod, C (Fig. 2), having a piston as shown. Said piston is packed with cork and india rubber so that the swelling of said packing will compensate for wear. There is a rubber washer applied to the rod, C, immediately beneath the head or thumbpiece, which serves to form a tight joint around the plunger when the piston is forced down and locked by the lugs at D, to hold it away from the vent holes.
A rotating tube, E, is applied to the body of tube, B< which is correspondingly reduced in diameter to form a smooth exterior, as shown in Fig. 1. This sleeve has liquid discharge holes, F, arranged spirally around it, and the hollow stem has similar apertures. The sleeve also has similar air vent openings, G, and in the stem are like holes to correspond. Then the sleeve is adjusted in one position, the holes, F, therein will register with the similar apertures in the stem ; and the piston having been pushed down and locked below said holes, F, the device will act as a faucet, the liquid discharge taking place through said coincident orifices and through the tube, A, as will readily be understood from Fig. 2.
When, on the other hand, the sleeve is turned half round from the position above described, the vent holes, G, will similarly register, and the device is then adapted to act as a vent. It will be seen, of course, that when the holes, G, are open, holes, F, are closed and vice verad. As a means of locking the sleeve in either adjustment, and of permitting it readily to be changed from one position to the other, two oppositely located notches, H, Fig. 4, are provided at the upper end, and a spring catch, I, is secured to the T tube, which enters and, by a square pin, engages in said notches.
The brush tube is shown at J, and the corkscrew at K. The latter is attached to one side of a screw plug having a milled rim. A small screw thread stem is formed on the other side of said plug, and at the base of the stem is a threaded boss or circular shoulder.
The various ways of applying the corkscrew pursuant to this arrangement, are clearly shown in the engraving. It may be inserted in the brush tube as in Fig. 5, and so rendered convenient for carrying in the pocket. In use the stem is inserted in an aperture of the brush tube (which thus becomes a handle), and set up above by a little nut ; or the corkscrew may be attached at one extremity of the T tube, A, and the brush tube slipped over the other, as shown in Figs 7 and 1. Fig. 3 represents the adaption of the device as a spout for siphoning bottles containing effervescent and any other liquids ; Fig 8 exhibits the invention suitably modified to adapt it to the bung or barrel, as an automatic bung.
The invention is an improvement on a somewhat similar device patented June 30, 1874. It is well suited, not merely to the use of grocers, druggists, brewers, and saloon keepers, but to those of private families. The implement is inexpensively made, of strong and durable metal throughout.
Patented through the Scientific American Patent Agency, March 7, 1876. For further information relative to proposals for manufacture, purchase of territory, etc., address the inventor, Mr. James Talley, Jr., Kansas City, Mo. The inventor calls attention to the simplicity and cheapness, especially of the automatic bunch, which can be supplied to brewers, distillers, and original package men, at a cost but little over common bungs.
The Supplee Hardware Company of Philadelphia was established in 1856, and operated under that name until 1905 when it merged with Biddle Hardware, changing it name to Supplee-Biddle in 1905.
That said, there was a myriad of mergers, buy-outs, and changes for Biddle Hardware, Supplee-Biddle and Supplee Hardware, and according to yesteryeartools.com, the name changes look like this:
Biddle Hardware 1837-1919
Lloyd-Supplee 1854-1867
Lloyd, Supplee & Walton 1867-1889
Supplee Hdw. Company 1889-1905
Supplee, Biddle & King Hdw. Co. 1905-1919
Supplee, Biddle Co. 1919-1950
Whilst at the Just for Openers meeting, TC presented me with a Detroit corkscrew that is marked for SUPPLEE HDW., which falls within the 1889-1905 timeframe, as listed above (the Detroit being the 1891 patent of David W. Davis).
Another variation of advertising that exists on the Detroit corkscrew, and thanks TC for the addition to the collection!
The list of advertising Detroit and Puddefoot is clearly not complete, as other versions have turned up, but here are a few of the known advertisements:
On the Detroit corkscrew:
BRISCOE MFG. CO. AUTO PARTS, DETROIT MICH. — added to the collection recently
CHAS. PICK & CO., CHICAGO (with knife blade)
COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, CHICAGO USA 1893
COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, CHICAGO USA 1893 (with knife blade)
COMPLIMENTS OF GERKE BREWING CO. CINNCINATI
COMPLIMENTS OF JOS. SCHLITZ BREWING CO
COMPLIMENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS BREWING CO. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. “GILT EDGE”
COMPLIMENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS BREWING CO “EXPORT WEINER”
COMPLIMENTS OF PABST BREWINC CO. MILWAUKEE (with knife blade)
COMPLIMENTS OF THE GREENWAY BREWING CO.
I. L. LAMM, WHOLESALE LIQUOR DEALER, WEST SUPERIOR, WIS.
LOCK CITY BREWING CO.
SUPPLEE HDW. CO. PHILADELPHIA, PA – the most recent addition
VOIGT BREWING CO. LTD. DETROIT, MICH. U.S.A.
VOIGT (V IN TRIANGLE AND CIRCLE) DETROIT
THE VOIGT BREWERY LTD. DETROIT, MICH. U. S. A. EXPORT RHINEGOLD
WOOD POLLARD CO. BOSTON, MASS
On the Puddefoot Corkscrew
BROTHERHOOD WINE CO. NEW YORK
COMPLIMENTS OF GREENWAY BREW’G SYRACUSE N.Y.
COMPLIMENTS OF MINNEAPOLIS BREWING CO. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN “GILT EDGE.”
WELCH GRAPE JUICE CO., WATKINS, N.Y.
WELCH GRAPE JUICE CO., WESTFIELD, N.Y. (WITH BOAT HANDLE).
If you have a Detroit Cork Screw with advertising that doesn’t appear on the list drop me a line, at josef@vintagecorkscrews .
And, if you have a Detroit corkscrew advertising Voigt, Lock City Brewing, Puddefoot, or Puddefoot Sheet Metal, I am still on the hunt.
As mentioned about the recent auction had a Japanese corkscrew within it, it arrived today.
Actually, it could have arrived any time over the past week, as we were away, and not checking the post office box.
And, while the pictures from the auction didn’t allow for me to see if the corkscrew was complete with its little lever present. Upon opening the box, and pulling the corkscrew out, it is complete.
and, it has a sharp helix.
Now, for the dilemma…
I have several collectors that have reached out to me and asked for a Shibata patent corkscrew should I ever find another example.
So, do I wait for the offers to come in? Or, do I put it in the upcoming auction?
Hmmmm….
What to do? what to do?
Saturday morning, we skipped the JFO, and headed towards Maine, with a detour that had us making a stop in Pennsylvania, where we added to the family a new puppy named “Digby.”
(named for the British sparkling wine)
Digby is a Bernedoodle, a cross between a Bernese and a Poodle, and has already shown an interest in Savignon Blanc, having placed his 8-week old paws last night on a low coffee table with his nose headed towards a recently poured glass.
Looks like he is definitely our type of dog.
josef@vintagecorkscrews.com corkscrewing around 