The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Weekly Newspaper

Bridgewater's Corkscrew

The figure in the casket was a design patent of Stratford, Connecticut resident Horace Bridgewater and was assigned to the Artistic Bronze Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Design Patent Number 87,618 for a "Combination Bottle Opener and Dispensing Apparatus" was issued August 23, 1932. The coffin is 6 1/2" long and is marked PATENT APP'D FOR COPYRIGHT 1932 inside the lid.

Born 1919 refers to the start of Prohibition
On the inside of the lid is PATENT APP'D FOR COPYRIGHT 1932

The figure consists of corkscrew, bottle opener, jigger, and bottle stopper

Tucked inside each casket is a paper with this copy:

First - Note that Mr. Prohibition has "gone to pieces" There are three major parts. Remove these from enclosure Then -

1. To remove hat from head - twist either way. Ah! Our Cork-Screw for the first operation -

2. Next, Mr. Prohibition's li'l rotund stomach. Imagine! A Jigger full to the drop!

3. How's about the bottle cap? Here's the answer. Mr. Prohibition's turned-up toes - our bottle opener!

4. To keep the Ginger Ale from going flat - we simply invert the bottle opener and - presto! - The Cork!!!

Price Complete In Mailing Carton - ONE DOLLAR

This is followed by the poem:

Poor Mr. Prohibition's licked -

We've got him on his back!
He's trying hard to make amends
Before he's in "the sack".

Let's look him over just for fun,
He may be used at that!
There's nothing in that head of his -
He's "screwy" in the hat!

His stomach now is changed a bit -
It measures out the rye
A "Jigger-ful" each time it's used!
Say! He's a useful guy!

He kicks off caps with utmost ease
We've got his cork in spirit!
And when he passes on, dear friend -
We know that we can "beer-it"!

Next: Syroco - Old Codger

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Introduction Andrew Volstead References The Facts Schuchardt's Patent Demley & More Flauder Patent Bridgewater Patent Syroco - Old Codger Openers Plus Death of a Puppet Kirby Conclusion The Drys Repeal

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