In case you haven't seen it, (or should I say "heard it") Peter Borrett has put together a song to honor Sir Edward Thomason.  Click here to listen to the song!  Nice job Peter!

Out of the 15 or so listings I was bidding on, I ended up with one win.  And a pretty good on too.  It was for a Portuguese Gabao (cloak) corkscrew.  These were handed out at the ICCA meeting way back in 1994.  I've been watching this piece at auctions for the last 5 years.  They have always drawn bidders, thus driving the price up.  There just so happen to be two of them listed on the ICCA, and they both ended today.  I'm very happy to have won mine for a bargain price! 

Today the first round of ICCA Auctions ends!  I've been getting several emails stating that I've been outbid on various listings.  ERRRRR!!  Not that I really planned on winning every listing I bid on though.  Here's wishing everyone good luck!  Hopefully I'll win something and report later. 

Crap!  It's EST!!

I'm currently selling off some items for a collector.  Lots of Anri stoppers!  But he does have some corkscrews.  These babies just arrived today!  8 different Gemelli Patents.  They are all in really good condition.  Not quite sure when they will hit our favorite auction site, but sometime soooooon! 

To make the final CCCC Quarterly Worm, Best 6 entries are asked to be submitted by 10/31/09.  SO, technically, the "fiscal" 2010 year starts today.  I've been busy listing, and listing, and listing!  I'm selling a bunch of items for a friend.  BUT I was able to secure the first transaction for the year!  It was a Flash.  It's a common Indian picture, but the advertising is what caught my eye.  They NORMALLY have a classic American tourist destination, or US City.  This one reads "Cherokee Indian Reservation".  I don't believe it will make the final cut for 2010 Best 6, but it IS THE FIRST ENTRY.  :-)

 

As tradition goes, at the end of each year, corkscrew collectors are to put together a selection of their most prized 6 corkscrews acquired for the year.  Some people email it to their clubs, some post on their websites or blogs, and some never do.  Well, I've come to a decision.  My Best 6 of 2009 are:

1.  1888 Fairchild's Patent - 14k gold and marked PAT. AUG. 21, 88
2.  1917 Brady Patent - Marked U-NEEK PAT'D
3.  Syroco Tramp - most would say this is more rare than the Golden Knight
4.  Sterling Pocket Corkscrew - Makers marks unknown
5.  Syroco Indian - Full bodied painted version
6.  1886 Woodman's Patent - Marked WOODMAN'S PATENT PAT'd JAN. 6. 1886



Not a bad year if I do say so myself!

I've been a fan of Syroco for about 5 years now.  No, not of their bookends, wall hangings, or BSA plaques.  Just the corkscrews, openers, and "go-with" related items.  AND of course any advertising items for the Syroco company itself (catalogs, print ads, retail signage).  These company items are the hardest to find.  About 2 months ago I found a seller who had an interesting piece that I've never seen before.  It was a 1963 Syroco calendar with "Syrocowood Syracuse Ornamental Co." across the top.  How cool?!  After numerous emails and an Auctioneer appraisal, I've finally got the piece in the mail.  A rare find to add to the Syroco collection.

From blogs to old catalogs ads, and quarterly newsletters to the Weekly Screw, corkscrews have been found in all types of publications.  For us corkscrew collectors, bout any "corkscrew news" is exciting.  Well while scouring Google for hidden treasures, I came across this article that was published yesterday.

 CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Though there was no picture of the corkscrew weapon, I sure hope it wasn't an antique!

The "Name Your Poison" set arrived!  The set is complete and in pretty good shape.  Some minor finish loss on one of the cross bones, but everything else is great!  If you didn't know, the corkscrew is behind the skull and in perfect unused condition.  Original box and top too!  Just in time for Halloween!

It actually opened on Thursday night....  The auction committee upped the number of listings from 480 to 650!  Goodness that's a lot of premium corkscrews!  It's so fun to practically go through each listing.  And you know you are sure to see a few corkscrews you've never seen before or even knew existed!  I've only got a few listed, but my watch list has got more than a few on it!  Click on the link to check'em out!

http://www.auction.icca-corkscrew.com/index.asp

One usually has to sift through hundreds if not thousands of "common" or "hardly collectible" corkscrews on ebay to actually find a few worth bidding on.  Thank goodness for custom searches!  Well, I recently came across a listing that caught my eye.  It was for a 4 pc golf club corkscrew set.  I do try to avoid even looking at these types of sets as they don't quite do it for me.  BUT the holder is what was intriguing.  It was a Syroco German Shepherd Head mounted on the stand (it's actually a pipe rack, not a bar set holder).  (I saw this exact holder at a show in Portland several months ago, and couldn't bribe the dealer with enough cash to sell his "family heirloom".)  Anyways, it's a good example of what I classify as a true Syroco "go-with", as this exact figurine was produced as a corkscrew.  I was happy to pay 9x more for shipping this piece, than the actual winning bid!


If anyone else has a true Syroco Corkscrew "go-with" item, (clocks, clothing brushes, bottle openers, wall hangings, molds, tie racks, cigar holders, towel racks), drop me a line at syrocokid@gmail.com

It wasn't until recently (past 2 months) that I ever saw the skull and bones opener / corkscrew on ebay.  First the white one, then the black version.  THEN a full bar set was listed!  That was pretty cool and really got the bidders going.  Needless to say, I didn't even make the loosing bidders list with my snipe.  Well, all these sleepless nights have paid off!  This set is in route to the island!  Sorry for the bad pic.  Hopefully it looks better in person, than the photo they used in the listing.  But for the hammer price I got it for, who cares!

There is a seller on Ebay who actually CREATES Corkscrews, made to replicate an antique style or with a vintage look, with the intent of selling them off to Corkscrew Collectors at a premium.  He even uses authentic Walker Patent Fancy Shank Corkscrews to make his pieces look even more authentic! 

The seller name on Ebay is LUNDEBERGBRO.  They even have 2 websites where they sell these corkscrews. 

http://lundbergbros.com/corkscrews/index.html
http://www.canesandcorkscrews.com/corkscrews4sale/index.html

My biggest problem with this is that a real Collector may assume these to be real, and end up spending big money on these pieces that are not authentic.  Or one might discover them, second hand, at an antique venue, where they are being offered as antiques.  BUYER BEWARE!!

Admittedly, I've been off my game lately.  I've been one of the lucky ones to catch the flu this season!  It SUCKS!!  The doc says I should be back to normal by weeks end, but I'm hoping for sooner. 

  These days are hardly like the good ol' days of '08....  The only goodies I've been picking up are the occasional Flash here and there.  There have been some desirable pieces online lately.  A Strait Patent, a Woodman's, an Italian Zig-Zag thingy, a Golden Knight, and even a Royal Club!  Hope you boys are cleaning up while I'm down for the count!

Though not corkscrews, I came across this listing,  that I thought was pretty funny.  The listing is for 7 bottle openers.  The seller states that some of them may have celluloid handles, and that "A major undesireable characteristic of celuloid is that it is flammable.."  He then goes on to offer a demonstration of proving how flammable celluloid is by torching and opener on his grill!  Pretty funny!  I think I might make my next offering to the Corkscrew Gods this way....

It's been a little over two weeks since the auction hammer, but she has finally arrived to the island!  A brown mermaid!  I've had a couple of these girls in the past, but none have had the foil cutter blade before.  She should be fun company for the next few weeks, but with the ICCA Auction fast approaching, I'm not sure how long she will be hanging around....



P.S.
Anyone else notice the FONT change on Ebay?  It's really got me buggin!  And the Buy It Now buttons are hardly noticeable.  ERRRRR!

Just wanted to issue a little BUYER BEWARE!!  In the last 24 hours, numerous brass figural corkscrews have been listed for sale on our "favorite auction site".  The seller is pretty aggressive in his pricing and they may not be authentic pieces.  They may be from Austria, AND be brass, AND resemble published catalog pictures, AND bear a makers mark, AND you might not care!  Just throwing "caution to the wind"...

Check out this AUTHENTIC WEB SITE on Austrian Figural Corkscrews:  www.hagenauerfakes.com

The information and research this site offers was compiled by Wayne Medows, a reputable Corkscrew Collector, who has a passion for Austrian Figural Corkscrews.  I personally FULLY TRUST this information to be accurate. 

Thanks Wayne for all your hard work and sharing this information with your fellow Corkscrew Collectors!  Cheers Tommy

To be honest the corkscrews aren't flooding in (at the moment) like they used to.  But seeing as I'm on an Island, I'd like to stay floating! 

Waiting....

To keep the "corkscrew economy" going, I had listed a few nice pieces.  The corkscrew gods clearly noticed my Paypal Account in the RED, so they found me a very aggressive bidder (I like these bidders).  Needless to say, "Mr. X" won all three of his desired auctions.  I have no doubt Mr. X is good for the funds, but having them transferred into my Paypal account is taking longer than expected.  :-[   It's just courtesy to pay for your auctions in a timely fashion.  I've got lots to bid on!

And waiting....

I did break the piggy bank 8/13 to score a Brown Mermaid Corkscrew!  She appeared to be beautiful in the pictures, so a respectable bid was placed.  I know NY is on the opposite end of the country, but suspicions are growing 10 days later.  I wonder if Josef has hijacked the package or maybe had it rerouted to his Island on the EC.  Pics to be posted if it ever arrives!

and waiting....

Well, not really.  Thanks Don!  In an effort to make room for MORE CORKSCREWS, Don Bull had a fire sale on some of his publications.  Included in the lot were:

Corkscrew Stories vol. 1  by DB
Corkscrew Stories vol. 2  by DB
Cork Ejectors by DB
Corkscrew Patents of Japan by DB
William Rockwell Clough by Ron Maclean and Bob Nugent


I'm not sure if he has any left, but you can check out his "book store" by CLICKING HERE

Sigh....  While the boys are tearing through the fields of Brimfield, Mass. I'm kicking myself for not moving EAST!!  I can practically hear the cries of triumph from Josef all the way on the WC!  I am happy for them though.  Keep it up guys!  (note to self for 2010 goals... MOVE EAST!)

Check out Josef's blog for the "day by day" reports: 

http://vintagecorkscrews.spaces.live.com/

All is quiet here on the WC.  Summer is clearly over as it's rained a bit each of the last 5 days....  Good thing it doesn't stop the mail lady!  A Lead handle Williamson Double Helix has arrived on the Island.  I'm happy to have gotten it for a fair price, but it will probably end up on the black market.  Need one?  Want one?  I'm accepting bids!  syrocokid@gmail.com

I must admit that I'm still glowing from the last post!  I've only got a few more missing pieces to acquire for a complete Syroco Collection.  If anyone has a Country Gentleman or Painted Laughing man, please drop me a line at syrocokid@gmail.com  I'm sure we can work a trade!  Although I have a golden knight, unfortunately it's the head only, so I do still need a full bodied Golden Knight  I hope the corkscrew gods to fill that spot soon!  :-)

As for new arrivals, a bakelite ship has landed on the Island.  Thought to be German, these have been known to do well on ebay.  We shall see this weekend!  Also, another Syroco Brush as arrived.   It's a painted bulldog.  A fine "go-with" to add to the Syroco Collection. 

A Syroco Tramp Corkscrew has found his way to the Island!  It's taken a long 4 months for this to come to fruition!  Lots of emails and phone calls, with no reply, to a collector that must have thought I was crazy.  To his surprise (over months of persistence), it didn't appear that I was just going to "go away" or leave him alone.  I was finally able to catch him on the phone and open the door for negotiations.  Well, a few weeks later, I have acquired another missing piece of the Syroco Corkscrew Collection!  He will definitely be in the Best 6 for 2009!