Rare Antique & Collectible Corkscrews

This is not a generic mix of "antique corkscrews". The collection is concentrated in five areas: English direct-pull and Eyebrow corkscrews from the Georgian period to the early 20th century; named English mechanical patents (Lund, Heeley, Wier's, Thomason, McBride's); French frame and decorative pieces by Jacques Pérille, Lauret Siret and Kirkby Beard & Co; Continental and German registered designs; and a curated group of mid-20th-century figural and promotional pieces.

About this collectionWhat this corkscrew collection covers

The earliest piece is an English wrought-iron T-handle dated circa 1735–1765 — one of the earliest forms a Western collector will encounter. The latest are mid-century figural and design-patent items from the 1940s–1970s. Each piece is researched and described by type, mechanism, maker (where identified), marks, material and approximate period. Where attribution is uncertain, that is stated rather than pushed under a confident attribution. Several pieces carry "TG" prefixes denoting direct provenance from the Thomas Guenther Collection.

Typology · Direct-Pull & T-HandleEnglish direct-pull and T-handle corkscrews

The English direct-pull line runs from a wrought-iron T-handle of c.1735–1765 through Georgian examples with cork grippers and side brushes (c.1790–1830), into Victorian bone-handled pieces with original brushes, and up to a Holborn straight-pull with rosewood handle (c.1880–1900) and an Art Deco nickel-plated set (England, c.1930).

• Worm form. Hand-forged irregular worms on Georgian and earlier examples; flanged or Archimedean worms on later 19th-century pieces.
• Handle material. Wrought iron, turned bone, rosewood, stag horn and turned hardwood are all represented.
• Side brush and cork gripper. Early Georgian examples often retain an original brush in a turned ferrule and a cork-gripper button or disc on the shank.
• Marks. The English "Henshall-type" button corkscrew with serrated guide disc (c.1880–1900) is a recognised English form even when unmarked.

Browse the dedicated sub-silo for this group at straight pull antique corkscrews.

Typology · EyebrowEnglish Eyebrow (finger-pull) corkscrews

Eyebrow corkscrews — finger-pull or "cellarman's" frame corkscrews with a horizontally extended pull above the cork gripper — are a clear sub-strength. Marked English examples currently in stock include C.T. Willetts Ltd Birmingham (cast body, c.1910–1930), Willetts & Coneys Ltd with the registered number 51221, D.F. Hipkins & Son marked "Commercial" (c.1870–1910), G.F. Hipkins marked "Universal" (cellarman's cast frame with button), and an unmarked late Victorian English Eyebrow (c.1890–1910).

These pieces are valued for the cast-frame quality, the maker mark, and the originality of the finger-pull and central worm. Eyebrow corkscrews were trade tools for cellarmen and tavern keepers; condition reflects use, and unworn examples are scarce. Browse the dedicated sub-silo at antique cellarman's corkscrews.

Typology · Mechanical PatentsEnglish mechanical patents

The mechanical line is built around named patents rather than generic "antique mechanical corkscrews".

• Lund of London, 1855 single lever patent. Documented Victorian English mechanical, currently in stock under TG provenance.
• James Heeley & Sons "A1" Corkscrew under Burton Baker British Patent No. 2,950 (17 July 1880). A core English mechanical reference.
• Wier's Patent concertina, manufactured by Heeley & Son, c.1884–1895. The concertina lever pattern with the stacked lozenge linkage; the Heeley & Son manufacture mark on Wier's design is the canonical pairing.
• Heeley & Sons barrel corkscrew, English, c.1880–1900. A standard barrel form by the same Sheffield firm — a useful comparison piece to the patented examples.
• Thomason Patent corkscrew, c.1860–1880. Later production of the 1802 Thomason double-action mechanism — useful to study against later Continental Thomason types.
• McBride's Patent corkscrew. A distinctive English mechanism less commonly encountered than Heeley or Lund.
• Armstrong concertina frame corkscrew, double-lever mechanical, nickel plated, England, pre-1902. A registered concertina form related to but distinct from Wier's pattern.

For deeper coverage of lever-type mechanisms see antique lever corkscrews; for the broader mechanical category see mechanical antique corkscrews.

Check the worm against the frame for matching age. Examine the patent strike under raking light. Confirm any Rd or patent number against published sources before pricing.

Typology · French & ContinentalFrench and Continental makers

The French line is concentrated around Jacques Pérille (Paris), with three pieces currently held: a Helice frame corkscrew with fly nut, nickel-plated steel, c.1900–1920; the "DIAMANT" corkscrew (a late 19th-century named pattern); and a clawfoot-handle corkscrew with bulbed shank, marked JP. Pérille's marks are usually a clear "JP" or "J. Pérille" stamp.

Beyond Pérille, the French and Continental line includes a T-handle corkscrew with stag horn and silver coin inset by Lauret Siret of Rochefort (c.1900); Le Couteau Clé "MULTIPLE" Déposé, a registered French multi-tool corkscrew with adjustable wrench; the Kirkby Beard & Co (Paris) "Ducky" cap lifter, documented in the 2002 Christie's corkscrew sale catalogue; and a French dragon-head champagne tap with valve, retained in its original case, ex-Thomas Guenther Collection. The Continental and German line includes a W. Sommers Patent type "Duck-Bill" corkscrew (Germany, c.1897–1905), a DRGM-registered Record frame corkscrew (Germany, c.1926), and a cage frame corkscrew with direct-drive steel worm in brass (Continental Europe, c.1880–1900). For the dedicated frame sub-silo see antique frame corkscrews.

Typology · Pocket & FoldingPocket, folding and travel corkscrews

The folding and travel section currently includes an 18th-century double-folder traveller (TG 1.207); a mid-19th-century folding knife corkscrew with forged Archimedean worm and silver handles (c.1840–1875); a sterling silver roundlet pocket corkscrew with Art Nouveau applied decoration (United States, c.1890–1910); an antique folding bow corkscrew multitool with eight integrated tools; an antique German "Ladies' Legs" folding corkscrew (c.1900) and a second German Ladies' Legs example; and a rare Ernst Lesser folding shoes corkscrew, a registered German design with cast shoe legs.

Folding pieces should be assessed both for the worm and for the joint between handle halves, which is the most common stress point. Browse the dedicated sub-silo at antique folding and pocket corkscrews.

Typology · Silver & VanitySilver and vanity corkscrews

The silver and vanity line is small but specific. TG 1.1923 is a Victorian perfume corkscrew with sterling silver handle, Chester-hallmarked, late 19th century — a direct-pull form scaled for scent and perfume bottles. The second piece is a sterling silver scent / perfume-bottle corkscrew by Cohen & Nathan, hallmarked Birmingham 1912 — an Edwardian vanity tool, fully hallmarked.

Both pieces should be assessed first for the hallmark set (city, date letter, lion passant, maker) before any other consideration; the date letter alone places the piece firmly within a single year.

Typology · Champagne TapsFrench champagne taps

A single, well-documented French champagne tap is currently in the collection: the antique dragon-head champagne tap with valve, late 19th-century French style, retained in its original case, with provenance to the Thomas Guenther Collection. Champagne taps are a distinct sub-category — a tapered threaded shaft with a valve, used to draw wine without removing the cork — and case-and-piece survivals are uncommon.

Typology · Figural & NoveltyMid-century figural, novelty and promotional pieces

This part of the collection is intentionally curated and is not a default antique-shop "novelty bin". Pieces dated 1930s onwards are explicitly labelled as mid-century in their titles, not as Victorian.

• Mid-century Austrian brass elephant corkscrew in Hagenauer style, cast form with original patinated finish.
• Viking Ship figural corkscrew, cast silver-plated metal, Østlandske Sølv og Plett (O.S.P.), Norway, mid-20th century.
• English Setter figural crown-cork bottle opener, cast white metal, Rubal New York, USA, c.1950–1970.
• Syroco "Old Codger" sculptural figure with hidden corkscrew, 1940s — a defining American Syroco piece.
• Pair of Sanderson's Vat 69 corkscrews — a recognised whisky-brand promotional pairing.
• R.M.M.V. Cape Town Castle novelty corkscrew and bottle opener set — Union-Castle Line shipping memorabilia.
• Hand-carved walnut figural nut-head corkscrews, 1930s–1950s European novelty barware.
• CANFER Argentina nutcracker corkscrew on wooden base — documented Industria Argentina combination tool.
• Aluminium Italian double-lever Barmaid and Clown corkscrews, Gemelli's design patent.
• Ornate frame Satyr corkscrew — figural decorative form.

For the dedicated sub-silo see figural and novelty antique corkscrews.

Maker referenceNamed makers and patents represented

AuthenticationHow to read a piece in this collection

The descriptions on each product page already give the type, mechanism, maker (where identified), period, marks and material. To read a piece efficiently:

1. Start with the type and mechanism in the title (T-handle, Eyebrow, frame, concertina, folding, champagne tap, figural).
2. Note the maker or patent — Pérille, Heeley, Lund, Wier's, Thomason, Willetts, Hipkins, Farrow & Jackson type, Sommers, Gemelli, Hagenauer-style.
3. Check the dating — given as a range (e.g. c.1880–1900) where exact dating is not possible from marks alone.
4. Check the material — wrought iron, brass, nickel-plated steel, sterling silver, bone, horn, rosewood, ebony, cast aluminium.
5. Note any provenance — "TG" prefixes denote pieces from the Thomas Guenther Collection; the Kirkby Beard "Ducky" carries a Christie's 2002 sale provenance.

For the full identification framework — makers, patent dates and mechanism types — see the antique corkscrew identification guide. Serious corkscrew collecting is supported by long-established international communities; organisations such as the International Correspondence of Corkscrew Addicts and the Canadian Corkscrew Collectors Club maintain reference archives that are widely used for attribution, dating and valuation.

BuyingHow pieces are documented and sold

Each piece is researched with the best available information on type, maker, material and period. Where a specific attribution is uncertain — for example, "perhaps French" or "possibly French" on early Continental T-handles — that uncertainty is stated in the title and description rather than pushed under a confident attribution. Condition is documented in detail. Private viewings are available in the Netherlands by appointment, and worldwide shipping is arranged on request.

For collectors building a focused area, we can flag pieces that match an existing collection (Pérille, Heeley, Eyebrow, Georgian English) on request. Cross-collection: precision-instrument collectors often overlap with corkscrew collectors — see antique scientific instruments and watchmaking tools. Cabinet collectors and design-led buyers may also be interested in rare antiques and curated collectibles.

FAQFrequently asked questions about antique corkscrews