The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Weekly Newspaper

Toasting Forks and Corkscrews

Gainesville, Florida - In the June 4, 2006 edition of The Weekly Screw we published a brief introduction to the "Brassies" of John Cornell. Now John has published his comprehensive study Brass Figural Handle Toasting Forks and Corkscrews. This 140 page scholarly work includes a huge number of photographs of the forks and corkscrews. Regarding the forks, John writes "On display in this monograph are approximately 485 different handles along with 4 types of shafts and approximately 45 different shapes of tines."

Over 350 corkscrews are pictured including fifty different cathedrals, abbeys, minsters, churches and castles, twenty-three ships, galleons and sailboats, thirty-three dogs and cats, twenty-eight pixies and many, many more. There are also "pairs" of toasting forks and corkscrews with matching handles. Some of the corkscrews have a two-finger pull piece between the handle and the shank and there are a variety of screws - helical, ciphered, and bladed.

If you are into collecting "brassies", this book is an important check list for you. To obtain a copy of the book write John at: jcornell@ufl.edu

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Cape May Corkscrew Club Follow-up

In the May 6, 2007 issue we featured a T-shirt from the Cape May Corkscrew Club. Herb Danziger investigated and reports " The shirt was put out by Collier's Liquors in Cape May. They are still selling them. There is no club."

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Mutton Holder Follow-Up

Reader Al Haché writes "I have had one of these holders for a number of years and The Weekly Screw (April 29 2007) has set me straight. I was told it to be a ham bone holder, but the holder seemed to be too small for ham. A mutton bone holder makes more sense. This one has an ivory handle which is held to the holder by a screw. it also has a mother of pearl indentation in the handle. No markings. It appears that the "Vintage Champagne Wine Key Opener" pictured in The Weekly Screw is the bone holder without the handle."

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Cheesy Bar Sets - Last Time!

Regular readers of The Weekly Screw may recall our 2004 reports (January 12, 13, 15, and 16) on the Cheesy Bar Sets from James Quality Jewelers in Thailand. We finally found out about James as reported in the April 1, 2007 issue. At least once a month The Weekly Screw receives an inquiry about these sets - people thinking they have something rare and unusual the sale of which will buy them all they ever dreamed of. By the numbers that turn up, we are convinced that they were made by the thousands!

Reader Jens Arnbjerg submitted the above photographs and wrote "Today I found a whole set for cocktail-items. As you hopefully are able to see on the pictures - the set was made in Thailand. I can not see where VU is produced, but all items have a horny part of the handle. This is in unused condition.

We promise this will be the last report on Cheesy Bar Sets from Thailand!

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