English Henshall-Type Button Corkscrew with Serrated Guide Disc, Turned Steel Shank and Hardwood Handle, c.1880–1900

This corkscrew belongs to the Henshall-type family, derived from the 1795 invention of the Reverend Samuel Henshall. The design incorporates a guide button above the worm, preventing over-penetration into the cork and assisting extraction. During the later 19th century many English makers refined the concept by adding serrations to the underside of the guide button, improving the grip of the corkscrew against the cork during withdrawal.

The present example features a lathe-turned steel shank with decorative baluster turning, a serrated guide button, and a turned hardwood T-handle fitted with a suspension ring. This construction is typical of late-19th-century English production, often associated with Sheffield workshop manufacture and frequently left unmarked. The corkscrew was originally fitted with a small bottle brush housed within the handle, a feature commonly seen on this form; the brush is now missing, leaving the internal cavity visible. Otherwise the corkscrew remains in excellent condition, with a straight worm, clear serrations on the guide button, and stable construction.

Circa 1880–1900

Provenance: Thomas Guenther Collection

MEASUREMENTS 
Length: 15.2 cm
Width (handle): 10.3 cm
Weight: 108 g