Antique Champagne Bottle Folding Knife, Celluloid & Steel, French Type, c.1900–1930

This is an antique champagne bottle-form folding knife, not a corkscrew.

The body is shaped as a champagne bottle, with cream celluloid scale panels, metal mounts and folding steel tools. It has a main folding knife blade and a curved secondary cutting implement, most likely intended for cutting or lifting foil, wax seals, or wire around the neck of an old champagne bottle.

The form corresponds closely to the type illustrated in Donald A. Bull, The Ultimate Corkscrew Book, page 264, under “Three French champagne bottle knives.” Those published examples include advertising plates for champagne houses. This example does not carry an advertising plate, but it does have blade markings: an oval C*W mark and additional stamped letters appearing as BLF and CE.

The CE may relate to a retailer, maker, or champagne-house association, but the exact maker attribution is not confirmed.

Condition is collector-grade used. The celluloid scales are intact with light age-related marks. The steel blade and hook show oxidation, darkening and surface wear consistent with age.

The folding action appears intact, with the expected age-related movement in the joints. A good specialist example of a champagne bottle knife form, especially relevant to collectors of corkscrew-related champagne tools and advertising bottle knives.

Circa: c.1900–1930

Provenance: Thomas Guenther Collection

Measurements:
Length 8.3 cm
Width 2.19 cm
Height 1.21 cm
Weight: 206 g