I see him almost everyday, I talk to him about my qualms, he never complains and stays faithful, that’s why he is my best friend: the corkscrew ! I owed him a story, to pay tribute…
“Messrs English, pull the first !” So yes, like many times in the story of the wine (like for the bottle of 75cl), English forestalled us again…Admittedly, the tonnel gimlet or the bulletscrew seem to be the ancestors of that precious tool, but the official recognition dates from the 25th of May 1795 with the Samuel Henshall’s patent (above)…who was Reverend (I really understand now this article…). Then, why in England one more time ? Truly important drinkers, they introduce the ageing and the commercialization of the wine in bottle. Then, the english law of the 25th of May 1728, to make easier the transport, authorises the closing of the bottle with a cork. So, we needed an invention to pull out it !!! The Reverend did it and you are asking yourself why there is a small brush? Simply to take off the small fragments let by the cork in wax…
The simplest one, in T.
The most difficult, with 2 blades.
From that moment, more than 350 patents have been filed !!! From simples to bizarres, the corkscrew took many forms. Above, on the left side, the simplest, in T, wereas on the right side, the corkscrew with blades and for me, the most difficult to use. Used one time, I didn’t succeed and it has been invented by an American in 1879 ! You have to push the longer blade between the cork and the inside and then to do the same with the shorter, and finally to pull out both slowly in a turning move. GOOD LUCK !
The corkscrew “limonadier”
The corkscrew with lever
As for me, these 2 ones are my favourites. The “limonadier” is the most popular and practical. This with a lever for important bottle or when I am leasy, because you don’t need any force or pressure 😉
Aterwards, the imagination is the most important tool to make a corkscrew. For those who like do-it-yourself…
…for deseperate housewives, Rock’N’Roll’s fans, or both…
…for De Gaulle’s nostalgics…
…but the award of the most eccentric, comes back to an English again, Rob Higgs ! To measure up to that level, it’s art !
I warned you ! The corkscrew became so popular that it’s also becoming a tool of collection. Be careful and courage to remember the word: helixepomaphile (from the greek elix for helix, pwma to cork and pilos who likes) or pomelkophile (always from the greek pwma, elkein to screw and pilos).
But no panic, if you don’t have any corkscrew yet, this guy has the solution !
Très bel article que je découvre au gré de mes recherches sur le net. Et sachez que je vis dans un village du Vaucluse, au pied du Luberon… MENERBES.
Et dans ce village se trouve le MUSEE DU TIRE BOUCHON
Quant à moi je travaille dans le monde du vin. Magasin LE DIVIN à Coustellet/Maubec (84660) et site internet jecreemacave.com
Au plaisir de vous lire
Encore une découverte. Merci pour ce petit commentaire très utile. Voici le lien du musée pour ceux qui seraient intéressés:
http://www.domaine-citadelle.com/le-musee/
En tout cas, ce petit village a l’air superbe !
Oui et en tant que ménerbien… J’en suis fier. Il est classé parmi les plus beaux villages de France.
Avec d’excellents vins… Voir le site jecreemacave.com…