Codd Bottle Opener Combination Corkscrew, Turned Wood Handle, Direct Pull, England, circa 1880 to 1900

A direct pull corkscrew incorporating a Codd bottle opener, formed with a turned wooden handle housing an internal marble pusher. The square-section steel shank carries a simple helical worm. This dual-purpose form developed following Hiram Codd’s 1870 invention, allowing both cork extraction and the depression of the glass marble used in carbonated beverage bottles. Examples of this type are documented in the Christie’s South Kensington corkscrew auction 1997 and in standard references including World-Class Corkscrews.

Unmarked example with typical workshop manufacture. The wood handle shows handling wear and age patina; the steel retains surface oxidation consistent with use. Worm remains serviceable and correctly tapered; no evident structural weakness to the shank. The internal wooden plunger is intact and functional.
A representative late 19th-century English combination tool.

Circa:1880–1900. 

Provenance: Thomas Guenther Collection.

Measurements
Length 13.9 cm
Handle length 11.85 cm
Weight 78 g.