Best 6 Corkscrews of 2012.
Over the last few years I have continually changed the way I collect corkscrews. My collection has always been evolving, it is forever reducing in size but increasing in quality. This year has proved to be very difficult for me, I have found it very hard to source 6 corkscrews to form a "Best 6". In the following years I forsee the problem getting worse and maybe the rules will need to be changed for me, perhaps I will only submit a "Best 4 or 3". It is a great way to collect as far as I am concerned and I find myself in a "much better place", than ever before.
When I had many, many corkscrew in my collection I found I would pick a piece up and look at it, not really feeling I wanted to keep it in my hand and then place it back in the cabinet. Where as now every piece I pick up I really treasure.
So below are my "Best 6" for 2012.
1. T & C Clarks Lever Corkscrew.
This corkscrew is similar in design to Lunds Lever Corkscrew which is well known to all collectors. Clarks lever has a captive worm which is loosely fitted, the worm is held in a cast Tigers head at the end of the top lever arm. The construction is much heavier than a Lund lever and the quality much higher. I consider this Corkscrew to be very rare. (You can read more about this piece in the "articles seciton" of this website).
2. Robert Jones Registered Design Corkscrew "Jones II".
This is an example of a corkscrew much desired by collectors, it is an English piece with two spikes inside the barrel, which aid cork extraction. I don't consider this corkscrew to be rare but it is very sought after by collectors. (You can read more about this piece in the "blog section" of this website).
3. Westley Richards Registered Design Corkscrew.
This corkscrew design was a novel idea. The thinking behind it was that the sideways distortion of the central part of the cork, when a normal worm was inserted, increased the adhesion inside the neck of the bottle. By eliminating the centre part of the worm this distortion is minimised. In my opinion this corkscrew is very rare. (You can read more about this piece in the "blog section" of this website).
4. The Hampton Lever Corkscrew.
This corkscrew is another piece that is similar in deisgn to Lunds lever corkscrew. Again this piece has a captive worm similar to Clarks lever, it too is loosely fitted. The hinges are marked on both sides "The Hampton Lever". The upright pin, causes the hook to rise along with the worm and move in an almost straight line, instead of a circular line as with Lunds corkscrew.
5. Charles Osborne & Co Improved Patent Corkscrew.
This is a Thomason type corkscrew with decorated barrel, embossed with leaves, grapes and fruits. It is unusual as it has a plaque embossed on the barrel marked "Osborne & Co Improved Patent". The barrel is very decorative and crisp. In my opinion this is a rare corkscrew due to it being marked with the makers name. (You can read more about this piece in the "blog section" of this website).
6. Edwin Cotterills Registered Design Corkscrew.
Cotterills corkscrew in my mind is the most ingenious corkscrew ever invented, it is of the highest quality and has a very complex mechanism. The mechanism features a cross over or perpetual thread cut onto the shaft, a clever clutch mechanism and a loose running heavy button with two spikes. Every attention to detail has been taken during its design and manufacture. In my opinion this corkscrew is not rare but is very desirable.
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