Compendium of Bar Corkscrew

By Wayne MeadowsBar corkscrews, mounted corkscrews, automatic corkscrews—whatever you choose to call them—have long been an enigma in the corkscrew-collecting world. While a few collectors with a penchant for mechanical devices have found these ingenious pieces of machinery interesting, even fascinating, they have often been disregarded. Some collectors have cited reasons for overlooking these corkscrews, such as their sheer bulk, awkwardness, and difficulty of display. Others may have dismissed them due to a common misconception that aside from the impressive English brass Eclipse, there were only three bar corkscrews worth collecting—the Champion, the Yankee, and the Quick and Easy—leaving little else to collect. Additionally, there were collectors who lacked interest or curiosity in mechanical devices and were intimidated by the mysteries hidden within the imposing brass or cast iron casings. With these perceived challenges, it is not surprising that bar corkscrews have remained on the fringes of corkscrew collecting for so long.ED: Kitsilano (2001), 22 x 28 cm, 280 pages, hardcover, ISBN: 0968929400