Lowenstein… (again)

Last week, a Lowenstein patent was listed on eBay.

And, as you well know, I have a small collection within our collection of Lowenstein patents, and I couldn’t let this one go.

It is technically a double, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have an extra Lowenstein available to make a trade should someone else that reads the corkscrew blog has a version of the Lowenstein patent that isn’t in the collection.

If you haven’t already done so, you can read my article about the Lowenstein patent here:

And, since tomorrow is August 22, I might as well include one of the images from said article, which has an AUG. 22 (1900) date on it.

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And, along came Lewis…

This morning a deal was struck that has another Lowenstein patent heading to the collection.

Lewis 66 Whiskey was (apparently) a …”Whiskey Unexcelled for Medicinal Purposes…”

A product of Strauss Pritz & Co., distillers out of Cincinnati, Ohio, it is a nice addition to the 1903 Lowenstein patent corkscrew collection… And, yet another addition to the list of advertisements that have been found by collectors.

Here is the list of those that I know about:

“BAILEY’S H & C PURE RYE”

“CLARK, CHAPIN, & BUSHNELL’S EXTRACTS NEW YORK”

“FRANCIS H LEGGETT & CO. NEW YORK”

“F. WESTHEIMER & SONS, PLANET, SOUR MASH, ST. JOSEPH, MO”

“HANCE BROS. & WHITE, PHARMCL CHEMISTS PHILADELPHIA”

“HUMPHREY & MARTIN’S FINE WHISKEYS PHILAD“ (in yellow or tan)

“LEWIS 66 WHISKEY“

“PEARL WEDDING RYE”

“PEARL WEDDING SELECT WHISKEY”

“THE GREAT A & P TEA CO. EXTRACTS” (in red or yellow/tan).

The bolded examples, we have in our collection, and we would love to add others.

If you have a Lowenstein that you would like to trade, please let me know.

And, if you have one that isn’t on the list, please send pictures!

Pearl Wedding Select Whiskey

One of the coolest aspect of collecting, is that over the years, as you develop friendships with other collectors, your collecting friends will make trades with you knowing that they have something you want.  And, of course, you are well aware of corkscrews that will also fit within their collections.

And, as word has gotten out that I am on the 1903 Lowenstein patent hunt, TC offered up his Pearl Wedding Select Whiskey example as part of a trade.

In doing research into Lowenstein and those that used his patent as a vehicle for advertising, Pearl Wedding is key, as within their advertising at the time, they actually feature a corkscrew attached to their bottle.

On the two bottles on the right, the Lowenstein is shown…

 

Hmmmm… reduce the size of the image, rotate clockwise, erase the background…

Looks like it should fit…

 

 

 

A really cool addition to the collection.  Thanks for the deal TC!

If you have a similar corkscrew, with different advertising, I am interested!

 

Weiss-Eichold

This morning, while sipping coffee, I was checking email, and JM sent in a photo of the two Lowenstein patents in their collection.

One was a red A & P, and the other, I had never seen or heard of before, serving as an advertisement for:

WEISS – EICHOLD

LIQUOR CO.

MOBILE

ALA

With a little research, it appears that Weiss-Eichold was wholesale dealer of Liquors, Cigars, and Tobaccos, and apparently a  “Rectifier of Spirits.”

And, they produced brands such as A BIG HIT whiskey, GOLDEN CREAM whiskey, and blended brands such as BELLE OF MOBILE, RAG TIME, and SIMON SUGGS.

Awesome to add another Lowenstein to the list  Thanks JM!

Keep them coming.

Thus far the here is the known examples…

“BAILEY’S H & C PURE RYE”

“FRANCIS H LEGGETT & CO. NEW YORK”

“F. WESTHEIMER & SONS, PLANET, SOUR MASH, ST. JOSEPH, MO”

“HANCE BROS. & WHITE, PHARMCL CHEMISTS PHILADELPHIA”

“HUMPHREY & MARTIN’S FINE WHISKEYS PHILAD“ (in yellow or tan)

“PEARL WEDDING RYE”

“PEARL WEDDING SELECT WHISKEY”

“THE GREAT A & P TEA CO. EXTRACTS” (in red or yellow/tan).

“WEISS-EICHOLD, LIQUOR DEALERS, MOBILE, ALA”

What others are out there?

What Lowenstein patents do you have in your collection?

 

 

More inside information

As mentioned yesterday, Don Bull checked his Clough medicine corkscrews, and forwarded those that are marked on the inside of the band.

Here are a few more:

The Red Star Cough Syrup in our collection is marked on the inside with:

CLOUGH’S CORK-SCREW

PROMPT-SAFE-SURE

PAT. JULY 22, 84

And, the Judson’s Dye on our collection is marked:

 

CLOUGH’S IMPROVED CORK SCREW

PAT. JULY 22-84

The Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies in our collection is marked on the inside:

CLOUGH’S  CORK-SCREW

OF YE OLDEN TIMES.

PAT JULY 22-84

What Clough medicine band corkscrews do you have in your collection that are marked on the inside?

And, while we are on the topic.  I am on the hunt for another Clough.  This one carries the patent date on the outside.  If you have this Clough which is marked across the top “CLOUGH’S PATENT JULY 22, 1884,” please drop me a line:  I would love to have it.

Stealing away to Brimfield

A couple of weeks ago, the lovely personal personal trainer asked if I was going to go to the September Brimfield show. And, I had been thinking about it. But, with the wine shop, I was a little unsure if I could get away. Still, with a little change in the schedule, we worked it out, and I would be able to go. But, only for one day.

So, on Monday morning I headed south. And, given it was Labor Day, there were several million tourists also heading south and leaving Maine. Okay, maybe not several million, but the 95 was a parking lot, so I chose to meander down the 1, and hit traffic there too.

Knowing I didn’t have to get to my hotel until that evening, I just decided to hit a few antique stores and enjoy the slow and leisurely ride.

At one stop, I managed to uncover a few treasures under a whole lot of corkscrews.

The corkscrew whistle was the best in the lot, but also there was a corkscrew that American Pickers Mike might want, as it carries an advertisement for Columbia Bicycles and Fowler Wheels.  The Walker Hallboy is in pretty nice shape as well.

After wading through traffic, I headed off to an antique store in Wells, Maine. I have always found corkscrews here, and I have been refraining from buying one particular piece for the past three years.

Three years? you ask.

Yes, every time I have visited, I have resisted paying the asking price for a wooden sheath corkscrew with advertising. But, this year, I knew I would finally give in, as not only is it an advertising corkscrew, it is an advertising corkscrew advertising “advertising cork screws.”

And, it happens to be an advertisement for A.W. Stephens, whose company I have been researching recently.  Interesting to note, it is actually a Clough patent, and is marked with Cambridgeport as Stephens’ address, which would predate his move to Waltham, when he went into production of his own patents.

It was still there.

And, I did buy it.  The lettering could be better, but given that I have never seen another…

As I left Wells, I headed further south, and it quite literally took me 30 minutes to travel 5 miles. And, as I got towards Portsmouth, one of the bridges was closed, so, I snaked my way around backstreets, avoiding those that are less familiar with area, eventually hopping onto the 95 some miles later avoiding the lines of traffic at the tolls.

By late afternoon, I was pulling into the hotel in West Springfield, and set my alarm for the early morning.

Before daybreak, I was gearing up, and heading to Brimfield. Flashlight at the ready, I made my way to my normal first stop. What was going to be interesting this time around, was there was going to be less competition. Barry wasn’t going to be there. Tommy wasn’t going to be there. I haven’t heard if KC was going to be there. Could I be the only corkscrew collector hunting the fields?

Doubtful, but one could only hope.

So, when I made my first stop and JR’s tent (a KOOK, and collector of can openers), instead of hurrying off, we had a conversation, a cup of coffee, and discussed latest finds.

Of course, it also occurred to me that I am only here for one day, so perhaps I should start hunting.

Off I went, and soon enough happened upon a small grouping of corkscrews. I picked up the zig zag and a clough.

And, there were other corkscrews about. Lots of Cloughs and Williamsons. At another booth, I picked up a Bennit for a fair price.

As the morning progressed, and there was more coffee, a couple of dealers that know both Barry and I, joked around that this was the first time in years that they didn’t tell me that, “Barry was just here.” Or, “the British guy was just in a little while ago.”

Of course, at those particular booths, there weren’t any corkscrews either.

Sometime before 11, I was walking through another field, and I saw a Murphy with the challenge-style handle. I picked it up, and noticed it looked different. In Bob Nugent’s article on Murphy, he mentions variation. I have long been looking for this version; for over a decade mind you, and a have never seen one. Just to be sure I wasn’t wrong about the variant, I pulled up my Murphy corkscrew page on my iPhone, and there it was:

The Challenge and the Victor models are usually marked R. MURPHY BOSTON across the top of the open frame which is usually arched.  On example has square cut openings and is marked ROBERT MURPHY.  It is probably an early example.

 

This may well make the best 6 of the year!

Shortly thereafter, I hit the booth where Tommy got his MOP mini legs in May. No rare legs there. I did pick up a few bits, and on a whim the slide mechanism and helix from a roundlet. Not that I really need it, but you just never know…

Looking at my watch, I headed off, hitting Dealer’s Choice at 11, and having exhausted that field, headed over to the last field of the day. And, whilst in line, who should come over to talk to me, but Mike Gordon. Of course, the field wasn’t open yet, but Mike was already inside. And, he explained that he had previously been in Dealer’s Choice, and found nothing in either.

Hmmmm…

Still feeling optimistic, I waited for the gates to open, and made my way through the aisles. Nothing in the first few, and then I ran into a dealer friend who historically has corkscrews—albeit expensive corkscrews. He explained he hadn’t picked up anything, but an adjacent dealer had a pair of legs. The dealer-friend had said he had offered x for them, but told me I could have them if I matched his price. During the conversation, it was explained they weren’t striped, but instead a gold flecked finish. Suddenly, even without seeing them, the price, which was fair, became a pretty good deal.

After searching his van for 15 minutes, the aforementioned adjacent dealer presented the corkscrew to me…

Apparently there were indeed corkscrews to be found in the field…

Not a bad day at Brimfield; The Murphy, the gold legs…

With 2/3 of the field done, I turned a corner, and saw what looked like a Clough. But, the shadows in the booth, made it look like it could be the Lowenstein patent of 1903.  After retrieving it from the case, it was indeed the Lowenstein, with an advertisement for Humphrey & Martin’s Whiskey, and a whopping price tag of 9 dollars.

 

After paying 8, the dealer asked if I wanted any of the others.

Others?

I went back to the same case, and saw a few wire Cloughs, and then an advertising Clough for Lactopeptine for Dyspepsia / For Indigestion. I picked up that one too, for the same price.

Quite pleased with the Lowenstein and the Clough, I headed off again, visiting the rest of the booths, passing on an overpriced Mabson, and repeatedly checking the time. I needed to hit the road, as I had a 4 + hour drive back to Rockland.

Visiting the last booth, I headed back to the ATCPV (all-terrain-corkscrew-pursuit-vehicle) and started the drive back home. The lovely was there to meet me upon my return, and over wine had a bit of show and tell, and tales of the adventure.

There surely are other corkscrews at Brimfield this week, and with several fields opening this morning, I am sure there will be other treasures to be had. As for my one day at Brimfield, it was a pretty darn good one.

Purifies the Blood. Regulates the liver.

In 2008, I blogged about missing out on a Williamson patent spoon with folding corkscrew carrying an advertisement for Wah-Parilla.   Ever since, I have been on the hunt for another one.

Last week, a Wah-Parilla spoon was listed on eBay, and I put it on my watch list.  And, the auction was ending yesterday.

With a snipe bid set, and the spoon sitting at 77 dollars, I hoped for the best.

This morning over coffee, I checked email, and I had indeed won the auction.  A fair amount above the 77 dollars, but quite a bit less that my snipe bid.

An excellent addition to the collection!  But, what is Wah-parilla you ask?

August 25, 1902 edition of The Burlington Evening Gazette

Tonic Time

The best spring tonic is Wah-Parilla, a purely vegetable remedy compounded from medicinal roots and barks—mainly Wahoo and Sarsaparilla. It corrects the liver, stomach, bowels, and purifies the blood after nature’s methods—pleasantly and certainly.

Wah-Parilla

(Wahoo and Sarsaparilla)

is guaranteed to give a positive benefit. A printed guarantee accompanies every bottle, with instructions to the dealer to return the money if the purchaser is not satisfied with the result. Don’t risk taking mercury and potash—get the pure vegetable blood purifier—Wah-Parilla. At druggists.

CHURCHILL MEDICINE COMPANY

Burlington, Iowa

And, in Practical Druggist and Review of Reviews—as well as other publications from the same time (1900) period, the Churchill Drug company registered the trade mark, “Blood purifier or tonic. Churchill Drug Company, Burlington, Iowa. The compound word, “Wah-Parilla.”

 

 

Judson’s X 5

For those of you that are regular readers, you might recall that not too long ago, I picked up a flat band Clough corkscrew with advertising for Judson’s Dyes

This was a neat find, as it was an example that didn’t make Barry’s recent article on Clough medicine corkscrews.

That said, over the past few weeks, there have been other Judson’s Dye Cloughs put up for auction on eBay. In fact, one seller has had the same listing 5 times.

I inquired as to how many he might have, and he responded explaining that he found several in an apothecary box.

The five different auctions–while using the same images–sold as follows:

On September 3rd – $89.50
On September 13th – $28.65
On September 25th – $13.14
On October 9th – $27.83
On October 22nd – $12.75

Okay, the last one was actually purchased by me, as I gave Barry the one I picked up in July.

The Clough advertising band corkscrews, I promise, will not become an obsession.

Okay, they might. But, I am going to say they won’t.

Still, they are rather cool as a grouping.

Rainier-worthy

For the past decade or so (not counting this year, as I didn’t attend the JFO meeting), I have brought countless corkscrews and openers with brewery advertising to the meeting with the intention of making a trade or two with TWJ (that’s Tipped Worm Johnny for those that are new to the blog).

And, there have been some pretty big trades–or sales when a trade couldn’t be agreed upon.

Even between meetings, when I find something unusual or rare and brewery related, I drop him an email asking if this particular piece is Rainier-worthy.

Rainier worthy? you ask….

As it happens, TWJ has in his possession a 1914 Josephine M. Spielbauer patent corkscrew which is an advertising piece for Rainier Beer. It is a fantastic and rare American corkscrew, and one that I really want to add to the collection.

While I will continue the hunt for brewery advertising openers and corkscrews as tradebait, I have finally acquired something that is Rainier worthy!

Worthy, as it is the Josephine M. Spielbauer patent itself.

One of the corkscrews that came from Don Bull’s current sale, it surely will make the best 6 of the year.

Thanks for the deal Don.

And TWJ…whatcha got to trade other than the Rainier!

Back home!

On Tuesday, we got an early start (3:00 am alarm) so we could make our way to LAX where we boarded the first to two planes which ultimately got us to Portland Monday afternoon. And, after a brief ride up the coast in the ATCPV (all terrain corkscrew pursuit vehicle) we had dinner at a favorite spot in Brunswick, Maine and then headed over to our hotel for the night.

Wednesday morning it was another drive (a rather wet one) up the coast to pick up Philos where he has been boarded, and then hopping on the boat for the island. Despite the wind and the rain (and a rather exciting boat ride) we made it back in the afternoon, and began getting back to non-vacation mode.

That said, you are probably wondering about the corkscrews. Of the many corkscrews acquired over the last few days, one deal brought several Clough advertising bands into the collection. While, I have owned the Heller Chicago before, and gave it up in a trade, I managed to pick up the following:

(another) Heller Chicago
Yellow Striped marked with Clough’s patent.
Carters ink marked for Cloughs patent
Carters Ink marked for Williamson’s patent
Cummings Sarsparilla
Red Star Cough Syrup
Youth-G-Lede Hair Colouring
Brown Iron Bitters
Valley Tan Remedies

Those bold, do not appear on BT’s list of known Clough advertising corkscrews (always nice to find a few “new” ads).

There is also an interesting Clough sheath with a smaller worm, and Rockwell Clough advertising-this one reads “CLOUGH’S CENTENNIAL WIRE CORK SCREW, PAT’D APR. 6- 75, PAT’D FEB. 1- 76.” While this has turned up in the past, on occasion, it will make a nice addition to the Clough collection.

Of course, there are more corkscrews to share beyond this grouping. One of which I was thrilled to pick up.

For those of you that are regular readers, you might remember the Klages cigar corkscrew that I mentioned last month.

How could I resist adding a cigar corkscrew to our collection? This one is not marked with the Patent Pending mark, but is marked NON PLUS ULTRA across the cigar band.

An advertisement for Non Plus Ultra Cigars perhaps?

There are even more corkscrew stories to share, and several other deals in the works. And, of course, the corkscrew collectors auction will soon be upon us. Who knows what might turn up there.

Stay tuned.