The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Weekly Newspaper

47 Columbus Corkscrews

Several patents were issued for a corkscrew with spring assist and split frame with movable ring for removing the cork from the worm. The most well known is Eduard Becker's German patent 70,879 of March 7, 1893. On August 29, 1892 he obtained a registration for the name "Columbus" (just in time for Chicago's Columbian Exposition!). In 1908 and 1910 Gustav Twellsiek registered his designs in Germany made with tin frames. In 1949 Carl Breithoff added an Indian rubber cushion on the bottle collar and obtained a German registration. The metal handle with ball bearings at the end of this page was a 1909 registration by G. Usbeck.

Pictured below are 47 different Columbus types. The aforementioned patent and registrations are present in this group. Most are pinned in the middle of the handle and those pinned from the end or from the top (unusual) are noted. There are different colors as well as different materials including bamboo, horn, and metal handles. Details below the photos are from left to right.

Bamboo handle. Not marked. Horn handle. Marked COLUMBUS / FRÜHER PATENT 70879

Marked R. KLAAS SOLINGEN (w/crane trademark) / ALEMANIA Marked ORIGINAL - BACCHUS on both sides. Not marked.

Marked COLUMBUS ORIGINAL. Marked ORIGINAL - BACCHUS on both sides. Not marked. Not marked. Not marked.

Marked ORIGINAL - BACCHUS on both sides. Marked with 1 in a diamond plus 38/284/6448 Not marked.

Marked FR. WELLMAN HAMBURG / COLUMBUS D.R.P. No. 70879 (handle secured from the top). Marked D.R. PATENT No. 70879 / COLUMBUS (handle secured from the top). Marked ORIGINAL / B & A in a cross (handle pinned from the end).

Marked COLUMBUS ORIGINAL. Marked COLUMBUS ORIGINAL. Marked ORIGINAL - BACCHUS.

Not marked (handle pinned from the end). Marked J. A. HENCKELS SOLINGEN with twins logo (handle pinned from the end). Not marked (handle pinned from the end).

Marked with trident logo. Marked EXUS with drinking glass in circle logo. Marked R. KLAAS SOLINGEN with crane trademark.

Not marked. Not marked. Marked ORIGINAL - BACCHUS on both sides.

Not marked. Marked COLUMBUS ORIGINAL.

Not marked. Not marked.

Marked D.R.G.M. (handle pinned from the end). Marked EXUS with drinking glass in circle logo. Not marked.

Marked COLUMBUS ORIGINAL. Not marked. Not marked.

Marked COLUMBUS (handle pinned from the end). Marked COLUMBUS / D. R. PATENT No. 70879. Marked COLUMBUS ORIGINAL.

Marked with 1 in a diamond plus 38/284/6448 on side of frame Not marked. Not marked. Marked D.R.G.M. / AGETHO

Marked MONOPOL 117 / D.R.G.M. Marked B & A in cross.

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