Antique Corkscrew Collecting - It's Not Easy!!

Corkscrew collecting has started moving slowly in 2012.  My sixth antiques fair of the year was a repeat visit to Ardingly, a large fair in the South of England.  Another early start and an anxious wait to enter the fair.  Handing over my £20 note, I managed to get into the fair just before 8am, feeling rather late.  It was freezing cold, as usual this time of year in the UK but fortunately it was not raining.

After searching for nearly two hours, I found a German duckbill type corkscrew and after a further twenty minutes I found a champagne cork remover in the form of a pair of pliers.   This piece was marked "DRGM" and was nicely engraved but unfortunately that was the total of my finds at Ardingly.

Things sure aren't easy at these antique fairs in the UK, especially in the early part of the year. 

The previous week, I visited a more local antiques fair/flea market at Shepton Mallet in Somerset.  In the UK it seems that items at flea markets are usually of a lesser quality than those found at antiques fairs.  At the Shepton Mallet flea market buyers are always plentiful and after a bargain, but it is rare you find a good corkscrew.  This occasion was no different, much searching and no corkscrew.  Where are all these corkscrews?  Maybe you guys in the States are finding them all?  Or perhaps they are all in France or Germany?  They don't seem to be in the UK. 

To be honest I am not sure why I visit these fairs.  In the last ten years I have found three good pieces, that is after around one hundred fairs.  Additionally, when you consider the costs involved, travelling, fuel and entry fees, it certainly costs you money rather than makes you money.

Lets stay positive, I have another fair this week, be sure I will report back with what I hope will be a great find!