The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Weekly Newspaper |
Sunday, June 18, 2006 |
Corkscrews in New York
New York, New York - The May 28 edition of The Weekly Screw featured New York corkscrews. The editor visited New York the weekend of June 10 and found this Fidelity advertising sign on a bus stop at Broadway and 36th. A long walk to the Chelsea markets resulted in no corkscrew finds. A stop in a souvenir shop was a photo op for just one "I heart New York" corkscrew.
Pot Metal Animals
Appenzell, Switzerland - Corkscrew collector Andres Breitenmoser lives in this small Eastern Swiss Village (population 5,000) about a two hour train ride from Zürich. Andres has amassed a rather large collection of corkscrews including numerous figural types. In his collection are about thirty pot metal animal corkscrews. He has several cows (or bulls) which were sold as souvenirs and have place names including Utah, Texas, Nebraska, California, Mexico, and Banff tacked on them. He also has horses, deer, dogs, donkeys, and a seal. Andy has put together a PDF with information (in German) and pictures of his collection (click here). Andy would really like to know the manufacturer of these corkscrews and where they were produced. Check yours for marks or other details and email Don Bull, Editor.
Each of the pieces has a folding worm at the tail and a crown cap lifter at the other end.
A donkey and three horses from Andy's collection.
Cows with souvenir place names.
There's even one with a saddle.
The Recalcitrant Cork
The Adventures of Mika and Mako
Cambridge, Massachusetts - We found Benjamin Mako Hill on the Internet at http://mako.cc/. We learned about his software development projects, his art and activism projects, and his publications, essays, and speeches. What fascinated us most however, was his picture story of opening a wine bottle. With his permission, we present the following highlights:
Mako arrives with a bottle of wine
...and figures he'll just twist off the cap ... but he realizes it has a cork
No corkscrew. Solution "I'll use my teeth."
Teeth didn't work, so Mika offers other possibilities. None work. Mako has a brainstorm!
Simply push the cork into the bottle with the back of a pen ... aha! Success!
She says "Yum" and "Indeed, this is a good vintage."
Editor's Note: Readers may remember other attempts to remove corks without a corkscrew. See these issues of The Daily Screw: June 23, 2003, June 26, 2003, July 4, 2003, and September 14, 2003.
Corkscrew Mystery
Wirtz, Virginia - Does anyone have any information on this corkscrew or any similar examples? Age? Manufacturer? Catalog pages? Other details?
A formed metal corkscrew with over-the-top style cap lifter. 3 1/8" long. This one advertises "Drink Moxie OK's by millions, Frank Archer invites you to Moxieland." Anyone have one with other advertising?
Notes on Moxieland: The Moxie Nerve Food Company, the producer of America'a first mass marketed soft drink "Moxie", was founded in Lowell, Mass. in 1876 by Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union, Maine. "Moxieland" was created in 1928 in Boston, Massachusetts. It replaced the smaller Lowell Manufacturing facility and an old Boston facility. "Moxieland" was at 74 Heath Street until 1953. The plant was then moved to Needham Heights, Massachusetts.
More Travels with Jean
Somewhere in Florida - In last week's edition, we toured a bit of Florida with Jean Grignon. Here are some more photos from his winter trip:
Phoenix, Arizona - Reader Lee Cohn writes "Who knew one could mine for corkscrews in Florida? All along Ive been trudging thru antique shops. Thx to The Weekly Screw for a new source."
©2006 Don Bull, Editor |