The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Daily Newspaper

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The Perfect Cork Extractor?

Wirtz, Virginia - What is the Rednutt Sherry?

Rednutt Sherry was produced in Spain and records show it sold in England as early as the 19th Century. In the 1950s it was imported to England by J. R. Parkington & Co., Ltd., 161 New Bond Street, London. It was shipped by Moreno Y Ca, Jerez, Spain. Here is some advertising of the period:

November 1949	September 1958

So what is this "New & Perfect Cork Extractor?:

So is it really that good?

A similar one was imported and distributed in the United States by the Copex Corkscrew Company of Algonquin, Illinois. On the instruction sheet they claim that in 1946 "the Wine Institute on behalf of the Wine Advisory Board proved the Copex superior in every respect. In competition with eighteen other corkscrews of domestic and foreign manufacture, the Copex outperformed all others, receiving the highest recommendation."

Instructions were easy: "Simply place the Copex over any bottle. Grip corkscrew and bottle with one hand...a Copex automatically centers over the cork. Screw top handle in usual manner until worm penetrates through cork. Then give the large handle a few turns in the same direction and 'presto' the cork slips out intact. So unbelievably simple to operate, a child can free cork without exerting undue pressure. Moreover, the Copex does not weaken the cork, does not affect its texture. Leaves no cork dust. The rounded wire helix (worm) bores in clean and holds with a tenacious grip as cork is 'pulled without pulling'."

See the January 9 issue for a few more of this type of corkscrew.

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