Corkscrew_Sept14 - Collector Corkscrews Blog and News

Page 70 The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles September 2014
By Ian Hunter
C
Figural Corkscrews Catch the Eye
orkscrew collectors are well organized.
They have their own clubs (8 globally),
their own scholarly literature (over 50
published reference books), numerous
websites and their own online auctions.
CollectorCorkscrews.com recently conducted
the 15th auction sale since it was opened by volunteer collectors in 2008. In that time more than
6000 corkscrews have been sold, each priced over
$100 and some over $30,000.
That creates a great data base of past sales history which is freely available to any visitor. Visitors
can use the database to value a specific piece or just
gain an understanding of the variety available and
what is most collectible.
In the broader market of Antique shops and
eBay, corkscrew collectors often find themselves
competing with other collector groups. Silver,
Breweriana (beer advertising) and knives are common overlaps. And one category of corkscrew, the
Figural Corkscrew depicting all kinds of animate
and inanimate subjects, is constantly competing
with general thematic collectors: dogs, fish, nautical etc.
Figural corkscrews have been around since the
early days of corkscrews in the 18th century but
became very popular in 1920’s and 30’s when used
as ornaments in the homes of the growing middle
classes.
Figurals are a great entry category for collectors.
They typically sell well under $100 and are easy to
pick up on eBay and in local markets. Happily,
there is also a significant “top end” of figurals which
appear regularly in CollectorCorkscrews.com sales.
Most corkscrew producing countries have their
own distinctive figural styles.
Perhaps the most popular figurals are the
German ‘ladies legs’, a risqué folding piece for a
gentleman’s pocket. Well made, functional and
with an 1894 German registration, prices start
around $300 and stretch over $3000 for rare
variations.
The earliest figurals include the Dutch silver
standing sheathed pieces dating back to the mid
18th century. They typically depict animal scenes
and have a combined pipe tamper function. The
May auction featured several of these very collectible pieces which also attract silver and smoking collectors. The oldest a Lion figural with
both a pipe tamper and cigar piercer sold for over
$6,000.
Figurals have long been popular in Scandinavia
with the typical 1930’s pewter pieces designed by
the Danish craftsman Just Anderson, often depicting birds and fishes, fairly easy to find for around
$100.
Austria is renowned for its
interwar designers. The animal
figurals of Bosse/Baller often sell
around $100. Hagenauer design
pieces such as the golfers and
tennis players also attract competition from sports and art deco
collectors and typically sell for
around $800.
Italy produced two well
known figural categories for
export markets. The wood
carved ANRI figures from Alpine
Italy and the Gemelli double
levers from the 1950’s. Today
Austrian art deco
Alessi produces several popular Golfer by Hagenauer
figurals including limited edi- $800 in May 2014
tions which currently appeal more to Alessi
collectors.
England produced a great variety of brass, particularly “flatback” figurals between the wars, but
they were typically cheaper mass-produced pieces
and rarely reach the $100 auction threshold. They usually
stood or hung on a stand with
other bar tools as an ornament
rather than being a functional
corkscrew.
The United States has no
one distinctive figural style but
has great variety of very collectible pieces. The “Syroco”
wood composite figures from
Syracuse, New York, can start “Miniature Blue &
Stockings and bare legs.
Danish pewter
below $100 but range up to the White stripe Lady’s
Very naughty in
“kissing doves” design
much prized post war Golden
Legs, $765,
1890 Germany.
by Just Anderson.
Nov. 2013”.
Knight which sells for around
$495 in February 2014.
$110 in May 2014.
$3,000.
The other “must have” figural for the US collector is the
Hootch Owl, a very well made
double lever patented in 1938.
Eleven Hootch Owls have sold
at the auction, usually for
around $3,000. They are not so
rare but are possibly the most
prized US corkscrew of the
20th century.
Rarer and perhaps more
interesting is a dog’s head silver
figural sold in May for $2,350.
Probably English, it featured a
horseman’s tool, a carriage key
Mickey Mouse British
A Dutch silver Lion dated 1767 with pipe tamper
and a whistle. Very cool indeed!
brass flatback. $130 in
and cigar piercer. $6,100 in May 2014.
The French largely ignored
May 2014 (a rare and
the frivolous Figural. However,
collectible design).
the occasional French figurals
can be very stylish and functional such as the beautiful
L’Express “waiter’s friend” lever
with lion’s head. This usually
sells for around $3,000.
Figural are just the beginning. CollectorCorkscrews.com
can introduce you to the world
of corkscrews with links to
other corkscrew sites and clubs.
The next auction sale opens in
Italian Gemelli aluminum lever barmaids
A Dutch silver Lion dated 1767
October but records of all past
from 1959. $375 in November 2011.
sales, “BUY NOW”corkscrews with pipe tamper and cigar piercer.
$6,100 in May 2014.
for sale and the latest corkscrew
news blog are always available.
Silver dog’s head with horsemans
tool, carriage key and whistle.
$2350 in May 2014.
Hootch Owl,1938 US patent.
$2900 in Nov 2012.
US Syroco Golden Knight in mint condition.
$3850 in May 2008.