- patent date
- manufacturer's name
- name of the design
- advertiser's logo
- or (on the stratospheric European side) a coat of arms.
Per the McKinley Tariff act of 1890, beginning in 1891 the Country of Origin was required to be marked on all imported goods. In 1914, the law was changed to require the addition of the words "Made in" on all imported goods Collectors should be aware that there are exceptions. For instance, beginning in 1887 the English required the words "Made in" be on items imported to their country.
Some collectors, it is well to mention, focus on brand new corkscrews. Feel free to start or build your collection of new corkscrews here! Advantages of new corkscrews is pricing (well below the stratospheric priced of the antiques and sometimes downright cheap); general availbility, and, of course, you can without hesitation actually use the corkscrew to open wine. With more people drinking wine, corkscrews proliferate almost as much as wineries. Gourmet food stores, fine cutlery stores, kitchen supply houses, wine and liquor stores, department stores, gift shops, and their catalogues and online counterparts are all good sources for interesting and (sometimes) effective corkscrews. Don't hesitate to let your friends know you collect corkscrews, and they may come back from holiday trips with additions to your stash!
Whatever the focus, be merry on the hunt!
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Corkscrew Resources
Yellow Pages. Open this book to find antique stores, auction houses, flea markets, resale shops, etc. Also works when in a new town, at home or abroad.
National, Regional, or Local Antiques Publications. These advertise antiques shops, and upcoming shows and sales. Send away for a sample and then subscribe, if you like. Sometimes given away at antique stores.
The Library. Your local library may have Antique Price Guides. If you've a general interest in antiques, you may want to purchase one or more of these books. However, if you're single-minded about corkscrews, you can just copy down the relevant descriptions and prices.
Your library is also likely have general books on collecting antiques. These books don't get to the depths (or heights) of corkscrew collecting itself, but you'll get excellent advice from the mundane to the sage - from, What to wear at a flea market, to, Know when to play dumb and when to hide your ignorance.
The Internet. An ever-widening source of corkscrew info! Start with the sources on our Links Page!
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Corkscrew Clubs and Organizations
Their newsletters include valuable information about individual pieces and prices, and their conventions are wonderful places to meet other collectors and trade, buy, and admire corkscrews.
Golden Gate Corkscrew Collectors (GGCC). Twice-Yearly events in Northern California open to all who have an avid interest in collecting and learning more about corkscrews. Send email to: Dean Walters.
Canadian Corkscrew Collectors Club (CCCC). Quarterly newsletter and summer convention. Send US $48.00 to:
Milt Becker
c/o CCCC
One Madison Street
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
International Correspondence of Corkscrew Addicts (ICCA). Founded in 1974. Limited to 50 members worldwide. Perspective candidates for membership are invited to submit a detailed description of their Best Six corkscrews and biographical data to the Right,
Joseph C. Paradi
670 Meadow Wood Road Mississauga
Ontario L5J 256
Canada
Phone: 905-823-3754
Fax: 905-823-3775
email: paradi@ie.utoronto.ca
Just for Openers. Quarterly newsletter and annual convention in April for beer advertising opener collectors. Send US $20.00 to John Stanley, 3712 Sunningdale Way, Durham, NC 27707-5684. This group focuses almost exclusively on beer advertising openers, which, includes a small subset of corkscrews.
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Corkscrew Books
You can enjoy corkscrew collecting as a pastime for years, picking up items that catch your eye. If it happens that you start to get interested in what you are actually buying, what is the history, how important a find you have, etc., these books will help:
Boxes full of Corkscrews, by Donald A. Bull. Says Don, "A lot of corkscrews that lost their packaging along the way, are now identifiable. Corkscrew orphans can now be matched up with their mates..."
The Ultimate Corkscrew Book by Donald A. Bull . Over 700 color photographs. Not just an armchair guide, Mr. Bull has kindly added value ranges to most of the corkscrews described, for those of us hot on the trail of that next elusive corkscrew.
Corkscrews. 1000 Patented Ways to Open a Bottle, by Fred O'Leary. This delightful and informative book takes you on an illustrated walk through more than 180 years of American corkscrews, with convivial host Fred O'Leary. Over 450 color photos,
A Guide to Corkscrew Collecting, by Peter Coldicott. BAS Printers LTD, Over Wallop, Stockbridge, Hants, UK. 1993. ISBN 0 9251110 0 4. A slim paperback. In the author's words, "It is meant to be the sort of general introduction I would have found useful when I started to collect." Many fine photographs and clear descriptions; also, tips on how to evaluate a corkscrew; where to find corkscrews, and how to display and record your collection.
Corkscrews and Bottle Openers, by Evan Perry. Shire Publications LTD, Cromwell, Church Street, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP17, UK. Copyright 1980, reprinted 1985. ISBN 0 85263 534 6. A slim paperback. Lots of good pictures with very helpful details including patent information and dates.
Corkscrews for Collectors, by Bernard M. Watney and Homer D. Babbidge. Sotheby's Publications. London and New York. Revised 1993. ISBN 0 85667 431 1. Hardcover. The study of corkscrews, the authors write, "can launch you on an expedition that touches upon the worlds of art, literature, and science, affording insights into the social, economic, and political life of western civilization over centuries." And what a wonderful "Bon Voyage" this book is!
British Corkscrew Patents from 1795, by Fletcher Wallis. Vernier Press. Brighton, UK. This comprehensive work on corkscrew patents covers the first 150 years of invention from Henshall's 1795 patent for an improved simple corkscrew.
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Where To Shop for Corkscrews
If you have more time than money, then stick to the top 2 or 3 entries in the list below:
- Flea Markets and Yard Sales
- Resale/Junque Shoppes
- Antique Shops
- Corkscrew Dealers
- Auctions
At the low end, flea market, resale shop, and yard sale finds are often "best buys", likely in the $5 to $25 range. Don't sneer! You don't have to spend a lot of money to collect a variety of figurals or corkscrew "types". Look diligently and you will find interesting examples. Be on the lookout for the "advertising" type - giveaways of long ago, imprinted with a winery or liquor store name that might stir a memory. Check out the older supermarket cheapies, especially ones with patent and other information. Think, as well, in terms of "antiques of the future".
In the middle, you'll find real variations from shop to shop, not only in what's available but in the owner's interest. If a shopkeeper keeps a wishlist, put your name on it; you'll have one more person on your side.
If there's a corkscrew you just have to have, your easiest course of action is to contact a dealer. These people have put a lot of time and effort into developing contacts, scouring the byways, and generally culling treasures from the vast river of used items. Justifiably, we believe, they charge accordingly for their efforts.
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How Much To Pay for Corkscrews
Where is the value in a Corkscrew? The eye of the beholder is one answer; what someone is willing to pay is another. We do know that prices keep going up. For instance, in 1974, an 1802 Thomason's sold for $375 at auction, a record price at the time. Today, of course, these can sell for prices in 5 figures.
On the other hand, it's our own fault. (So, if some of you out there would kindly switch to armoires, or something... OK, OK, just kidding)
So, how much should you pay? We don't know, we reply. But, it will balance out. For every time you find out later you overpaid, there will be a glorious bargain.
We do point out, in addition, that there are various price lists and guides available at bookstores and libraries to help you work up a sense of what various items are going for these days. Not to mention online antique stores, eBay, and other auction sites.
