Not for me are those trashy supermarket corkscrews or the flashy designer examples – show your style by using something that has lasted for a century or more. These won’t break, and their many types show the inventiveness of British and European industry. And just imagine the stories they have heard over all those dinner parties!  

 Nobody really knows when the corkscrew was first developed, but it’s likely have been in England during the late 17th century. However, it wasn’t until the 19th century that we saw an explosion in innovation, with inventors devising all manner of marvellous mechanisms for removing a cork effortlessly.

In general, we can break corkscrews down into two main groups – ‘straight pull’ that rely on the strength of the host to pull the cork out, and ‘mechanical’ that use moving parts to assist the host in his or her task. I’ve chosen my favourite from each group. 

Legs eleven! For sheer fin de siècle fun, the ‘ladies legs’ straight-pull corkscrew can’t be beaten, conjuring up mental images of kicking legs doing the Can-Can at the Moulin Rouge. Fold back the legs, insert, twist and pull! Ooh la-la!  

The quicky and cool design originated in Germany in the late 19th century and many different sizes and variations were made into the 20th century by makers including Steinfeld & Reimer and Graef & Schmidt. If you see the words ‘Gesetzlich Geschutzt’, that’s simply a design protection mark. The colourful striped stockings are made from celluloid, and condition is important – also always check the end of the ‘worm’ (the curly bit that goes into the cork) as any damage or loss reduces value. As well as being perfectly portable (perhaps for a picnic), nearly 80 variations have been found, making them highly collectable. Some stockings cover the entire leg, others more daringly flash the thighs, and if you spot an example marked with advertising wording, you can usually kick the price right up. Prices usually range from £300 upwards for a pre-WWII example. 

But for technical ingenuity and sheer ease, nothing beats one of the first mechanical corkscrews ever invented – the Thomason-type. In 1793, the Brummie businessman Edward Thomason inherited his father’s buckle manufactory and expanded the company’s production to include medals and tokens, watch chains and buttons. Also an inveterate inventor, he hit the jackpot in 1802 when he developed a mechanical corkscrew using a double helix mechanism with both male and female threads. Turning the handle continuously clockwise forced the worm into the cork, and continuing to turn it that way extracted the cork from the neck in one smooth action. Then, by turning it anticlockwise the cork was cleanly removed from the worm. A handy brush on the handle allowed the oenophile to brush away any detritus from the rim, such as fragments of cork, lead or wax.  

Thomason was so proud of his invention that he placed a badge on his examples bearing not only ‘Patent’ with a regal coat of arms, but also the words ‘Ne Ultra Plus’ – ‘no more beyond’. It’s estimated that he produced over 130,000 examples during the 14 year patent protection period - that’s a lot of business! Of course, this great success led to competition when the patent expired. Similar Victorian examples can be found with a plethora of different manufacturer’s names including Dowler, Rodgers (the noted cutler), and Jones. Dowler in particular produced a number of variations. Look out for barrels decorated with gothic windows, or other unusual motifs, as these command a premium over the usual £150-300 range. Handles can be made from wood or bone, but don’t consider those with ivory handles as the sale of ivory is now banned, with non-applicable exceptions.  

With its instantly recognisable brass or bronze barrel body that fits over the neck of the wine bottle, the Thomason-type is a great example of Georgian technical invention at its best, and highlights the breadth of innovation in business during the Victorian period. But, best of all, they still work effortlessly and catch admiring eyes well over two centuries later. Bottoms up! 

Pictured above 

A 1920s-30s German Graef & Schmidt ladies legs straight pull corkscrew, with celluloid stockings.

A mid-19th century Dowler patent bronze Thomason-type mechanical corkscrew.  

This article first appeared in Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine in July 2024.