This past weekend was the 49th Annual Bainbridge Island Rotary Auction.  It may not exactly be a haven for antique corkscrews, but still a good time.  For a one week period, the Rotary Club volunteers (about 1000 over the week) collect, sort, and price anything and everything donated for the auction.  It literally fills an entire middle school!  Classrooms, gymnasium, 2 parking lots and the playing field.  It's  pretty much the largest collection of garage sale items in one spot.  They even auction off about 10 cars  and 5-10 boats each year that are donated.  Unfortunately, there were no corkscrews to be had.  Maybe next year...

Can I be honest.....  I've got about 80 searches.  Although I'm crazy for corkscrews, going through all 80 each day is a bit ridiculous!  BUT you've got to remember WHY there are 80 different ones.  You just never know how the seller will list that precious gem....  Like this one!



I'm lucky to have snapped this one up!  It was online for a whole 32 minutes before I saw it! 

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Ya know, we actually went about 4 weeks with out rain?!  Amazing!  Well it just so happens that today, I was planning to visit a local winery for a tour of the facilities.  Too bad it just started raining :-(  No sense in walking the trenches if they're full of mud.  I'll have to make the trip next week.  FYI, they have a small antique shop!  They do have some corkscrews, but nothing to pursue....

OH.  The Gottfried Kruger arrived from MA!  Welcome to the Island!



I've got SEVERAL listings going right now, but MORE to list.  Check'em out by CLICKING HERE!

How sweet is this?!  It's a John Hasselbring Stag Antler w/ Sterling Cap.  Yes, it's rather large, measuring just under 9 inches, but it's the silver cap which is kinda different.  The edges are kinda flared out and there is a grape design on it.  Not quite sure if this will make it to ebay or not.  When the price is right, it's a little harder to give up!


P.S.
I came up a little short on the Single Wire Clough 2 Ring.  I hate being the under bidder!

There are SO many different aspects to corkscrew collecting that make it fun, enjoyable, exciting and even competitive!  Typically, when me and Josef trade corkscrews we go back and forth for hours, days, weeks, and even MONTHS to finally reach a deal.  It usually starts out with one corkscrew to the other guys 3.  Then comes the removal of one, but an addition of another or two.  THEN the "counter offer" (or removal of a certain corkscrew followed by adding another).   We often end up trading much more than we ever expected to part with, but ultimately we each are happy when the trade is finalized. 
Today was TRULY a historic day!  For the first time in 5 years of corkscrew trading between Josef and I, a trade was proposed, AND accepted in the same breath!  My marked Murphy, for his Gottfried Krugger Brewing piece.  The Gottfried has been on my "Want List" for a few years now.  Figures that Josef happened across about 3 of them in the past year.  errrrrr!

I've spent the day searching online and listing a few pieces on ebay.  Hopefully will be able to add a few more items later on this evening.  Click here to check'em out!

It was a beautiful day out here on the island.  We are REALLY in the "dry season" as it has not rained in like 3 weeks!  I'm NOT COMPLAINING, as I'm loving the sun!  Here is a picture from our living room.  A beautiful NE View of Eagle Harbor and Puget Sound.  Our house is located on Bill Point and the view is AWESOME!  I was able to catch a picture of a Stag Horned Deer right outside the basement window.  How cool is that?

Does this ever happen to you?  It's late at night, you are going through the last 20 pre-set corkscrew searches, and you are placing too many snipes to count?  Of course there are a few auctions that are in foreign currency, so you have to adjust your bid entry to consider the exchange rate.  Well, did you ever "overlook" that point, and place a bid of $125 Dollars on a Euro auction?  This would be my 5 or 6th "Oops!"  Lucky for me, it didn't sell too high.

I'm pleased to have acquired this fine Murphy Corkscrew!  It has the bell w/ hook and marked on the shank "PAT APR 23 01  R.Murphy".  VERY NICE!  I wonder if JL'A has this one, as he is Boston / Murphy crazy right now....

Ooooooohhhh  how I wanted this one!  I even HAD the lead with 7 seconds to go!  But alas another snipe slipped through.....  Better luck next CENTURY Tommy!



If anyone has one, I've got PLENTY of trade bait!  Email me @ Syrocokid@gmail.com

So, for a while now, I've had a "thing" for these Williamson "Flash" corkscrew/bottle openers.  They each have a lithograph picture and some sort of US location description.  Maybe a City/State, sometimes a National Park, or a Historical Monument, simply a popular building, even a popular tourist location.  The list seems to be endless, as new discoveries are still popping up!  I think it's fair to estimate there to be over 800 different descriptions.  Mind you I only have about 250 myself.  If you have one, some, or a ton, EMAIL ME!  Syrocokid@gmail.com

The latest one is of an Indian and it reads "Lima, Ohio".  I'm NOT from Lima, I HATE Lima Beans, and I've NEVER been there!  Though I did pay a pretty penny for it.  Why did I pop for it?  My dad.  Ironically, he's FROM Lima, he LIKES Lima Beans, and he's ACTUALLY lived there!  It would make for an appropriate Fathers Day gift though.....NOT!  I'll be sticking to my usual "niche Tool" this year.  I'm thinking of the GrabIt screw extractor....



The other piece is just a fancy English piece.  No markings, no brush, no big price tag. 

I call "Dibs" on the 2 Ring Clough!  Kinda funny how this sometimes happens.....  When similar or duplicate items pop up for auction after another one had recently sold.  Hopefully this one won't go for $100 per ring! 

If you have one like this, or maybe have a 3 Ring Version, send me an email syrocokid@gmail.com!  Let's make a trade!

Last week a very "simple" 3 ring wire corkscrew was listed.  Probably English made, but of Clough (twisted wire) style, the little corkscrew really caught my eye.  You would think (or at least REALLY HOPE) you could find one of these in the $1 Box at the local flea market, but I don't recall ever seeing one even for sale in the last 5 years!  I set a pretty aggressive snipe and hoped for the best.  Within 4 days my snipe amount was surpassed!  Obviously several other collectors have not seen this piece in the $1 Box either.  Well the bidding ended last night bringing in over $300!  Who knew Clough's were worth about $100 per ring? 

I'm going to make this quick as the sun is STILL SHINING!

The latest arrival to the Island is a Carved Deer Stag piece w/ sterling accents.  A nice piece for a reasonable price.  But it does look shockingly familiar.  I bought one EXACTLY like this about a year ago in Chicago.  It was sold off to Peter in England, but not sure of its' current whereabouts.  Just glad this one was acquired for less than it's original purchase price.  :-)