Special Corkscrews
These pages show some interesting English corkscrews, along with a small amount of information on the pieces shown.
Samuel Henshall is famous amongst corkscrew collectors, as he was granted the first English corkscrew patent. The corkscrew below, patented by Henshall was made by Matthew Boulton in Birmingham, at his famous Manufactory.
SAMUEL HENSHALL PATENT - marked - OBSTANDO PROMOVES/SOHO PATENT
Sir Edward Thomason was born in 1769. Based in Birmingham he started out business as an apprentice of Matthew Boulton. He took over his fathers business in 1793 and manufactured buttons, medals and the like. He took out several patents, including his patent for corkscrews. He manufactured all his patents himself in his workshop and show room in Birmingham. It doesn't appear that he made any other corkscrews than his own. But his patented corkscrews were magnificent machines.
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT - no markings - GOTHIC WINDOW DESIGN TO BARREL
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT - unmarked - JAPPANED BARREL GRAPES AND VINES IN GOLD
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT - marked on badge - THOMASON
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT (FOUR WIDE PILLAR) - marked on button - THOMASON'S PATENT NE PLUS ULTRA
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT (TWO PILLAR BRONZE VARIANT) - marked on button - THOMASON PT NE PLUS ULTRA
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT THREE AND A HALF WINDOW VARIANT - marked on button - THOMASONS PATENT NE PLUS ULTRA
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT FOUR PILLAR (ROD) STEEL THOMASON - marked - NO MARKINGS
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT FOUR PILLAR BRONZE THOMASON - marked on button - THOMASON PT NE PLUS ULTRA
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT THREE PILLAR (ROD) STEEL THOMASON - marked - NO MARKINGS
EDWARD THOMASON NARROW BARREL STEEL - marked - NO MARKINGS
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT TWO PILLAR (WIDE) STEEL THOMASON - marked - NO MARKINGS
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT TWO PILLAR (ROD) STEEL THOMASON - marked - NO MARKINGS
EDWARD THOMASON PATENT - SINGLE BUNCH OF GRAPES - marked on badge - THOMASON
Thomas Lund made many corkscrews in the 19th century. The finest examples were Kingscrew and Thomason types, to which he attached his tempered bottle springs, as shown in the images provided.
THOMAS LUND PATENT - marked - LUND'S PATENT. 57 CORNHILL/THE QUEENS PATENT GRANTED TO T.LUND LONDON MANUFACTURED BY PATENTEE
WILLIAM LUND PATENT – marked – LUND’S PATENT LONDON RACK
Based in Birmingham, Loach & Clarke were brass founders, they produced many items as well as their patented corkscrews. Their corkscrews were very high quality and their workmanship was renowned. Their patented corkscrews have a self pulling design with a heavy sliding barrel and two internal spikes, examples are found with three different finishes to the barrel.
LOACH & CLARKE'S PATENT - marked - LOACH & CLARKE PATENT
This corkscrew from the 19th century was manufactured by the patentee Coney. It has a clever clutch and gear mechanism at the bottom of the shaft.
JOHN CONEY PATENT - marked - CONEY'S PATENT V.R PATENT or just PATENT
JOHN CONEY PATENT VARIANT
A beautiful 19th century ratchet corkscrew. The ratchet is hidden within the handle. The corkscrews are marked PATENT on the shaft and are of a high quality.
ALFRED NEWTON PATENT - marked - PATENT on the shaft.
Charles Hull was another prolific 19th century corkscrew manufacturer. He also made nut cracks, nail clippers, boot and button hooks and many other items. Another manufacturer based in Birmingham. Pictured below are examples of Hulls Royal Club corkscrew and his Presto corkscrew.
Charles Hull Patent - Royal Club
CHARLES HULL PATENT - marked - HULL PATENTEE BIRMINGHAM ROYAL CLUB CORKSCREW or HULLS PATENT ROYAL CLUB CORKSCREW
CHARLES HULL PATENT - marked - HULL PATENTEE BIRMINGHAM ROYAL CLUB CORKSCREW or HULLS PATENT ROYAL CLUB CORKSCREW
CHARLES HULL PATENT - marked - C HULLS PATENT/CHAS HULLS CORKSCREW/PATENT PRESTO
Hyde Bateman was another 19th century corkscrew patentee from Birmingham. His corkscrews were most likely manufactured by G.Twigg also based in Birmingham.
HYDE BATEMAN PATENT – marked – BATEMAN’S PATENT
HYDE BATEMAN PATENT - marked on the pillar - SPONG PATENTEE
George Twigg was again based in Birmingham and manufactured many items. Corkscrews were only a small part of his business. Twigg manufactured Batemans patented corkscrews as well as his own patents.
GEORGE TWIGG PATENT - marked - G TWIGG'S PATENT ENGLAND OCT 10 1867/G TWIGG'S PATENT U.S. AMERICA JAN 21 1868
GEORGE TWIGG PATENT THREE PILLAR - marked - G TWIGG'S PATENT ENGLAND OCT 10 1867/G TWIGG'S U.S. AMERICA JAN 21 1868
GEORGE TWIGG PATENT-marked on all three pillars-G.TWIGG'S PATENT
Another 19th century English corkscrew. A single lever design with a wooden handle. Manufactured in Birmingham.
BURGESS & FENTON PATENT - marked - J B & SONS/PATENT LIFT
A corkscrew manufactured in Birmingham probably by G Twigg, a 19th century patent. This corkscrew has a swivel collar or cap to secure the shaft and the handle together during cork penetration.
GEORGE TWIGG HYDE BATEMAN PATENT - marked - G TWIGG'S PATENT
