Sent for 60 cents, postpaid.

From an 1867 issue of Scientific American

Whew! how many revolutions ?–one–my cork extractor is making all over the country ! Sent for 60 cents, postpaid. State rights for sale. Address W. G. Waterman, Middletown, Conn.

This would be W.G. Waterman’s patent of 1967 for his Improved Cork Extractor:

His patent description explains:

Letter A, handle ; B, corkscrew ; C, groove in handle for corkscrew ; D, catch; E, spring ; F, pins ; G, thumb-piece ; H, groove for spring; I, ferrule;  J, cork ; K, bottle.  The handle I construct of wood, into which, at or near the centre, of one side, I attach the corkscrew B, so connected that it can be turned down into the groove C, made in the handle to receive it.  D is a catch, fastened to the handle, to hold open the cork-screw when used.  E is a spring, one oend of which is fastened to the handle by pins F F F, the other end being attached to the submb-puiece G.  H is a groove, made the whole length of the handle A, which is wider at the bottom than at the top, that the end of the spring E may slide in it.  I is a ferrule on the end of the handle, under which the spring is made to slide, by taking hold of the thumb-piece G, which is rivetd into the end of the spring E in the groove.  J is a cork, represented as being extracted from the bottle K.

The patent description then continues to describe the piece in use:

The operation of the instrument is as follows:  Whenever a cork is to be extracted, the end of the handle I inserted into the bottle, then, by taking hold of the thumb-piece G, the spring E can be pushed into the bottle, the spring expands, and when the bottle is inserted, the cork goes between the inner sides of the spring E, and when drawn by the handle, the spring closes around the cork, and is drawn out.

If Waterman’s patent was being offered for sale at 60 cents, I am guessing there may have been a few customers that were interested. Yet, I don’t know if a Waterman patent has yet to have been found in our collective corkscrew collecting world.

If you happen to have an example, I would love to see pictures of it.

“Rocking” Cork Puller

From a 1946 issue of House and Garden

NO MORE BROKEN CORKS

No “lost in the bottle” corks, either, with the Gourmet Cork Puller.  It is the slickest way to pull a cork your ever saw.  (It is also a bottle opener).  Very attractive gift box, too.  Silver plated model $ 2.95; Sterling Silver (with tropical wood handle) plus leather case $5.00; Completely gold plated handle $ 10.00 with leather case.  All Postpaid.  Gift Cards enclosed.  Please, no COD’s.

I have seen a few Gourmet Cork Pullers over the years, but I have yet to see one in Sterling. And, I definitely have not see one that is gold plated.

If you have a Sterling or Gold Plated Gourmet Cork Puller, drop me a line.

and, let the bidding begin

It’s auction time!

The collector corkscrews.com auction is officially open for bidding, and there are over 900 corkscrew lots upon which to bid!

As mentioned the other day, I have a few that are up for bidding, and there are definitely a few that I will be going after.

Let the bidding begin!

Another year of corkscrewing around…

While we still await a return to normalcy in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, we did manage to have a few adventures this year, mostly within Maine, and we did venture further afield as guidelines would allow.

Three shots in, (or six, if you take both of us into consideration) we are both boosted, and continue to wear masks as required.

And, this year there were indeed corkscrews bought, sold, traded, auctioned, discovered and acquired.

That said, with antique shows cancelled, travel limitations, and many of our interactions (including our ICCA AGM) being held via Zoom, lots of the corkscrews that found their way in to (or out of) the collection were discovered online.

Although, we did make it Brimfield for the first time in two years, and to our in person meeting at the JFO, which was awesome!

The twisted treasures are still out there to be discovered, and we hope that soon enough, we will be able to make it back into the wild… to Brimfield… to Union… to Bucharest…etc.

Let’s hope that the new year brings a little less, “You’re on mute,” and “Can I share my screen?” and a little more raising a glass with one another…

Best Six Wishlist for 2022

I will preface this by saying that what tops my list for 2022 is an end to the pandemic, and a hope that we will be able to replace social distancing with social embracing…

That said, as I have done in the past, there are a few corkscrews that I would love add to the collection this year, and once again, it is time to publish the best six wishlist.

For years, a couple have remained on my wishlist, and… they still have remained elusive, so they STILL remain on the wishlist.

Last year, I published the following wishlist:

And, I was fortunate enough to add 3 of the 6; A Jenner, a Ladies Friend, and a new discovery from the back of O’Leary…

And, I will add here, that there are lots of corkscrews that would be welcome additions to the collection, and, you just never know what will turn up next. But, let’s just throw it out there…

Here is the best six wishlist for 2022!

Frary Sullivan

Something from the back of O’Leary

Frary with can opener

Lowenstein patent advertising “Golden Harvest Whiskey.” In the patent drawing, that is how the patent is illustrated with that advertisement.

1883 White patent. As mentioned in the past, I did once find a White patent in the wilds of Iowa, but it was broken. Still, there has to be others out there.

Zeilin patent: pictured on page 63 of O’Leary and marked, “ONE TEASPOONFULL PARRISHS HYPOPHOSPHITES, J.H. ZEILIN & CO. PHILA, PA”

J.T. Haviland…

In July, I shared a patent image from the back of O’Leary; the J.T. Haviland patent of 1870 for his “Cork Screw.”

And, within that bloggy blog entry, I wondered why the patent would read “Cork Screw,” then clearly there is no helix present, but also wondered if I would ever find an example, as there had yet to have been one presented in any book, other than the drawing in the back of O’Leary.

After reading through the patent description, and thinking about it. While the tool was indeed intended to remove the twine / wire from champagne corks, one would then use the tool as a cork gripper, and then turn the cork out of the bottle; essentially screwing it out. So… Cork Screw does somewhat make sense.

And, as it happened, an example of J.T. Haviland patent was discovered, and did make its way to the island. During our ICCA AGM / Show & Tell I shared images of the patent, and it definitely is a nice fit within the collection.

A departure from the patent drawings with a different hinge, and no brush in the handle, it is marked J.T. HAVILAND, PAT. APPD. FOR., it surely will make the best 6 of the year!

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. 

Ham’s Patent Cork Puller

From an issue of American Stationer

CORK PULLER

There is always more or less difficulty in getting corks out of bottles.  Many a knife has been broken and still the cork moved not.  A patent cork puller has been brought out which overcomes all these troubles and saves the cork besides. 

HAM’S PATENT CORK PULLER.

The accompanying illustration shows what it is.  To work it insert the blades between the bottle and cork, rock it forward and back until a firm grip is secured, then turn and pull gently.  It never fails to work, and saves both bottle and cork for future usefulness.  The retail price is 10 cents, and the New York News Company will supply the trade.

As the article explains, this is, “Ham’s Patent Cork Puller.” That would be Herbert H. Hamm and his patent for a cork-extractor (#702,001) awarded June 10, 1902.

And, Triple H explains in his patent description:

“In a cork-extractor, the combination of a resilient bow or fork, a hollow handle embodying a plurality of open-ended hollow parts, the said open-ended hollow parts being adapted for engagement with each other, one of the said hollow parts being slotted to receive the arms of the bow or fork adapted to be alternately contained within the said handle and to be fitted therein to extend from the said handle, the middle portion of the bow being adapted to form a bearing against the interior of the hollow handle, substantially as described.”

While I have yet to find a Herbert H. Ham patent, and not for a lack of looking, there have been a couple found–and when found (see O’Leary page 117) they are marked “PAT APPL’D FOR.”

As shown in O’Leary

If you happen to have one, I would love to add it to the collection.

O.K. Cork Puller

Within a 1900 catalog entitled:

CATALOG ~

BOTTLERS’

EXTRACTS

AND

COLORS

MACHINERY

AND

SUPPLIES

SETHNESS COMPANY

THE LARGEST EXTRACT AND COLOR MANUFACTURERS

IN AMERICA ~

262 – 268 N. CURTIS ST

CHICAGO, U.S.A

Amongst other corkscrews, we find The O.K. CORK EXTRACTOR…

How the O.K. cork extractor extracts remains to be seen.

I mean, clearly there is some leverage involved, but to what type of appendage does the cork attach…so the lever can do its assigned job?

Is it a helix that exists within the piece that attaches to the wall, with the bottle screwed on to it?

The search continues.

BROWNE & BENTON

On May 17, 1892, William G. Browne and John L. Benton were awarded patent # 475,222 for their “Can Opener.”

And, when this can opener turns up, as shown in the patent drawings, it is marked with the patent date and also with NEVER SLIP.

For those of you thinking, that the date rings a bell, it should, as W. G. Browne was awarded a patent in 1895 for another can opener; patent # 541,034

And, when that can opener turns up (with the addition of a fold out corkscrew) it is marked with both patent dates; for 1892 and for 1895, and is also marked KING.

A later version, maintains the 1895 patent date, but then adds a 1908 patent date; which is Reynold’s patent (#896,577) for a combination tool; also marked the KING, with the patent was assigned to Browne and Dowd MFG. Co.

The other day, I picked up yet another version, that predates the 1895 patent, and references the 1892 patent.

A departure from the NEVER SLIP form with leanings toward the 1895 Browne, it is marked PAT. MAY 17-92 AND PAT PEND’D.

And fortunately, includes corkscrew…

A fun addition to the collection.