Information letter nr 12
31st march 2005
“COLLECTION PRIVEE TIRE-BOUCHONS
” NEWSLETTER
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Hello, The « Collection privée Tire-bouchons »
monthly newsletter gives information related to the website: main updates, new links towards excellent
corkscrew dedicated websites and on new items added to the collection. You’ll find a complete index of the newsletters
published since Nr 1 by clicking on the following link" Info letter ". |
Reader’s corner…
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Read
the last newsletter A
new page… Corkscrews
are of course in close relationship with wine, could I even say that without
wine there is no corkscrew, indeed yes; I have then added a page dedicated to
wine lovers (see the page “liens” on the website) Summary Reader’s corner A selection of the best auctions of the
month New links The collection is growing up
A new page The unusual object of the month Associations
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Corkscrew to identify… Alain found a superb corkscrew that he cannot
identify. Who will be able to help him to discover the name and the maker of
this object? About the website… 11 702 visits on the
website as of March 2005, Thanks for your fidelity! You are now a lot to know the address of the website
because half of the visitors are using a direct access. Thank you to all of the individuals who
have referenced my website on their, as a matter of fact, 12% of the visits
are realised through these indirect means, not bad at all!
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A selection of the best auctions of the month (found
on eBay)… Very nice auctions took place this month with among others a superb Wealan that is quite rare on eBay and another superb
corkscrew of a rare delicacy designed by Benjamin Law. |
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A
Frederick A. Wealan corkscrew (patent Nr 2.642 of
1881) entirely made of steel, this very rare and searched after model is not
very effective. Important finger
strength must be required to use it properly.
The auction reached 3700,03€ |
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Very nice and
delicate English corkscrew patented by Benjamin Law’s in 1877 under Nr
308,524. One side is 794€ |
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All steel
corkscrew with swivel-over collar 2165€ |
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Multi-tools
bow corkscrew realised by 436€ |
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Lever
corkscrew named Express or The Smart, patented by Hollweg
Frères of Barmen (close to 408€ |
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Rack and
pinion corkscrew designed by Batard, the handle is
made of bone. It uses the Pérille’s system. The auction reached 409€ |
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Pocket
multifunction corkscrew, it comprises a screw and a hole-puncher. I have chosen this auction because this
type of corkscrew, usually found with a bow shape, has in this case a
lengthened shape. The auction reached 234€ |
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Corkscrew 387,86 € (2 544
FF) |
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New links…
Every month I am
trying to discover new websites related to corkscrews: Auction, sale, collectors websites, or even
single html pages.
- Wine explorers,
Jean-Pierre
wine-waiter and counsellor since long years, is conducting impassionate
explorations in the wine area. He
travelled a lot throughout the French vineyards and is keeping close
contact with the men elaborating wines and local products. Jean-Pierre has
amongst his most satisfactory collaborations, the French Senat where he is teaching the art of tasting.
- 75cl.info, most of the time, a
bottle of wine is uncorked some while before serving… even more, sometimes
it is poured in a decanter. Nobody
has then the opportunity to see the corkscrew. When it is the very handy waiter’s
friend that was offered by a furnisher (not very original though) we do
not miss anything. But sometimes,
we are invited by friends who own a magnificent corkscrew …
- Corkscrew «Le dard », nowadays, the corkscrew is not turning anymore,
it penetrates. A faster and easier penetration:
Inserting this corkscrew requires less strength than inserting a
conventional screw; as a matter of
fact, all the effort that was produced by turning the wrist is now produced by the arm or
the weight of the body, and is limited to push in order to drive the nail
in the cork. What is changing is
the penetration; the screw is replaced by a thin straight nail inserted
through the cork…
Of course you can retrieve all these addresses in the
rubric LIENS of the website “Collection privée Tire-bouchons”. Have a nice surf !
The collection is growing up …
Up to now, the amount of items presented
is 191, four new items has been
added. Come and see them…
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Simple
corkscrews |
Mechanical corkscrews
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Simply
nothing new this month |
n° 188 – Swiss corkscrew manufactured by Vossoultlery Co. |
Lever corkscrews
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Figural corkscrews
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n° 190 – Italian corkscrew manufactured by Carlo Gemelli. |
No new items |
Multifunction corkscrews
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Bar corkscrews
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n° 189 – Cocktail jigger with corkscrew n° 191 – Chip Chop, the indispensable tool of the American
barman |
Nothing new
from this side |
Identification…
Who has an idea on the identity of this corkscrew? At first sight, I would say it is English
because of its rosewood turned handle. On the other hand, I have never seen something
similar to the interface between the shank and the screw. What could be the
utility of this disc? Is it used to cut
the wires, or does it penetrate into the cork to overcome adhesion between the
cork and the bottleneck?
A wire cutter?
La polémique autour du Hootch
owl…
Following the re
“Even though I congratulate the reader
of your newsletter for his keen interest in the way corkscrews are working,
I just would like to comment his findings on the Hooch Owl: If this corkscrew, as described in the book
“Corkscrews” – Fred O’Leary (Pg 150), has indeed four different functions,
none of them are recorded as being a nutcracker:
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Corkscrew
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Cap lifter
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Bottle opener designed to open the “Grip screw
caps” (what the reader think it is a nutcracker)
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An ice tong (in fact, this option has been forgotten
on most of the recent copies like the BOJ type that every one of us knows).
Where is it? When the corkscrew is in
closed position, the curve of the levers has been designed in such a manner
that both ends are coming underneath the cage, authorizing these extremities to
be sufficiently close to each other to grip an ice cube ! Due to its weight, it is even possible that
holding the corkscrew by the ring would create a lateral pressure that is
sufficient to grip the ice cube properly – As I do not own one of these; it is
only a supposition and the fruit of my observations! – (if a reader can
experiment this, I would be grateful to know if it works!)
One more
info that makes me say that one of the initial function of the Hooch Owl is not
to be a nutcracker is the following: On
all types of nutcrackers I had the opportunity so see, the scratched parts were
of the same size in a way that all size of nuts could be gripped without any
risks of seeing them escaping and the extremities of the curves were touching
each other. Moreover, another thing
pleading in favor of the grip screw cap opener is the following: when the two levers are in up position, the
two scratched parts are then facing each other, ensuring a maximum of
efficacy. A very last re
Patrick
C.,
The unusual object of the month…
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Every month I will try to dig up an unusual
object … always in relationship with corkscrews. This month it is cufflinks in shape of
corkscrews. Absolutely to be wearied at the next CFTB congress! This object was sold
7,19 euros. |
Associations…
Don’t forget to pay a visit to the
association
. Don’t forget to sign the adhesion bulletin.
If you have received this newsletter, it means that you have some
interest in this website. If you don’t
want to receive it anymore, just let me know by sending an e-mail to: jean-pierre.mascaron@laposte.net .
Thanks for your attention… see you soon on Collection privée tire-bouchons.
Jean-Pierre LAMY
© 2003 All references and documents
available on this website are free of use (unless otherwise specified) at the
only condition to mention the source.