Corkscrew
1800-1820 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Corkscrew, comprising a cylindrical handle of bone turned with a series of narrow mouldings, tapering towards each end; through this passes a long steel shaft cut with a long spiral thread at the bottom of which is a plain steel worm. The corkscrew is supported by a steel frame consisting of two circular rods attached at the top to an oval plate, and at the bottom to an open steel collar with flared base which fits over the bottle neck. The collar is held to the pillar at each side by lily screws. The edges of the oval plate are cut to a concave section with knurled edges. Above this plate is a conical washer with an extension at one side. One of the pillars has a vertical slot, this forms the seating for a narrow bar which operates through the top plate. When the corkscrew is fully set in the cork, this bar operates a toggle which acts against the extension on the top washer ensuring that the corkscrew can only operate upwards to allow the cork to be withdrawn.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Steel with a bone handle |
| Brief description | Corkscrew, steel with a bone handle, London ca.1820, the frame stamped; NICHOLSON CORNHILL |
| Physical description | Corkscrew, comprising a cylindrical handle of bone turned with a series of narrow mouldings, tapering towards each end; through this passes a long steel shaft cut with a long spiral thread at the bottom of which is a plain steel worm. The corkscrew is supported by a steel frame consisting of two circular rods attached at the top to an oval plate, and at the bottom to an open steel collar with flared base which fits over the bottle neck. The collar is held to the pillar at each side by lily screws. The edges of the oval plate are cut to a concave section with knurled edges. Above this plate is a conical washer with an extension at one side. One of the pillars has a vertical slot, this forms the seating for a narrow bar which operates through the top plate. When the corkscrew is fully set in the cork, this bar operates a toggle which acts against the extension on the top washer ensuring that the corkscrew can only operate upwards to allow the cork to be withdrawn. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | NICHOLSON CORNHILL (Stamped on the frame) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by G. Giachin |
| Object history | The ingenious design of this corkscrew is based on the invention of Sir Edward Thomason (1769-1849), a Birmingham engineer. An account of his corkscrew given in his memoirs states: on piercing the cork with the point of the worm and continuing to turn the handle the cork was drawn out and by turning the handle the contrary way, the cork was discharged from the worm. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Bibliographic reference | Bernard M. Watney and Homer D. Babbidge, Corkscrews for Collectors, Sotheby Park Bernet, London and New York, 1981, ISBN: 0 85667 113 4 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.102-1993 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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