Thomason Patent Corkscrew With Patent Badge c1820

Description

Heading : Thomason type corkscrew
Date : c1820
Period : George IV
Origin : England
Decoration : There is The Lion and Unicorn (Royal Coat of Arms) patent mark
Size :  24.5cm at fullest extent
Condition : Good. The badger hair brush is missing
Restoration : None 
Weight : 239 grams

The Thomason patent was the first major corkscrew patent of the 19th century lasting from 1802-1816. This is a good. clean example with the patent badge intact. The worm is of full length at 6cm and the mechanism works well. There is no damage to the bone handle and no significant marks to the barrel.

To open the bottle simply turn the screw anti anti-clockwise to draw it to the top and then screw clockwise to drive the screw into the cork. Once the screw is fully in the cork continue turning clockwise at which point the larger reverse direction thread will be engaged drawing the cork from the bottle. 

Eric Knowles Comment: The engineering applied to the simple act of opening a wine bottle is testimony to both ingenuity and the importance of wine to English gentleman.