| Background
SCReWbase©, the Standard Corkscrew
Reference Work, is a database for cataloguing all significant
corkscrews. A SCReWcode is applied to each item whether it be a
simple straight pull or a elaborate patent. This code allows rational
ordering within the database and a means of searching.
The system developed for SCReW is of use to
all collectors whether they use SCReWbase© or not.
The basic Class, Type and style code can be used in
many ways. This document is for all collectors and shows how to
derive these basic 3 letter codes e.g. ABc. Use them or customize them at will.
This system is now available on a CDROM and can be acquired from the
website for corkscrew collectors
here
Within SCReW, all corkscrews and associated
collectibles are organized into 13 Classes, each designated by the
initial letter of the Class (except one). Ten of the Classes are
specifically for corkscrews. The full SCReWcode is in the form ABc123
representing the Class, Type and style as letters followed by a
three-digit number assigned to keep similar things together in series.
Types and styles mostly have easy to remember letters (in English)
|
Code |
Class |
Contents |
|
A |
Accessories |
Collectibles and "go-withs" which are
not actually corkscrews but which we all seem to acquire |
|
B |
Bar screws |
Mechanical corkscrews that are designed to be
fixed to a wall or a bar |
|
C |
Combinations |
Corkscrews with a tool or a design having one
or more secondary functions |
|
E |
Easers |
Corkscrews designed to ease the adhesion of the
cork before pulling it out with a direct pull |
|
F |
Figurals |
Corkscrews in which the whole item, or a
significant part of it, represents a tangible object |
|
K |
Knives |
Knives (folding or fixed blade) with a folding
corkscrew |
|
L |
Levers |
Corkscrews that have a mechanical action
through the use of a simple lever and fulcrum |
|
M |
Mechanical |
Corkscrews which have a mechanical feature
using a thread, ratchet or rack and pinion action |
|
N |
Non-worm extractor |
Cork removers that do not have helical worms |
|
P |
Pocket and Protected |
Corkscrews in which the worm is covered or
otherwise protected for safety or travel |
|
S |
Self pullers and partial pullers |
Corkscrews based on the principle that
continuous turning of the worm draws the cork up the helix |
|
T |
T-screws and other straight pulls |
Corkscrew with no mechanical features and no
other tools |
|
Z |
Champagne and soda tools |
Tools for opening or tapping sparkling drinks
bottles |
First use the Decision Tree to select the right Class. Click
here for it. 
Next decide the Type and style using the
following guides.
Class A - Accessories
|
Types |
Examples |
styles |
|
A |
ART |
Paintings, photos, posters
Sculptures, frames
music, video, rugs
|
i
s
u
|
images
sculptures
unclassified
|
|
B |
BOTTLES & JUGS |
Codd bottles, jugs, stone bottles |
u |
unclassified |
|
C |
CORK TOOLS |
Borers
Cutters, presses, sizers
Corking tools
|
b
c
t
|
borers
cork presses
tools for corking
|
| D |
DISHES
& TABLEWARE |
Plates,
bowls, glasses, mugs
|
d
|
dishes and
tableware
|
|
N |
NOVELTY |
Hats, neckties, shirts, socks, towels
Ashtrays, glass, mugs, plates, trays
Charms, ear rings, pins, tie clasps
Buttons, matchbooks, refrigerator magnets
|
f
h
j
u |
fabrics
household
jewellery
unclassified |
|
P |
PAPER & PRINTED MATERIAL |
Advertisements
Post cards
Books, catalogues
Letters, Menus, napkins, photos (non-art)
|
a
p
r
u
|
advertisements
post cards
reference material
unclassified
|
|
S |
SCREW TOOLS
(not for corks)
|
Bung pullers, gun tools, packing tools, tie downs |
u |
unclassified |
|
W |
WINE ACCESSORIES |
Bottle locks, cradles, coasters, funnels, labels, pourers, port
tongs, stoppers, tastevins |
u |
unclassified |
| U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
|
u |
unclassified |
Class B - Bar screws
There are no specific Types and styles for bar
screws.
The codes in SCReWbase are designed to be consistent
with Wayne Meadows' book and you can translate the SCReWcode into
Wayne's book code, and vice versa. The Type is the initial letter of the
name of the bar screw (ignoring "The"). The style is a
lowercase letter that replaces a digit in Wayne’s code. For example:
SCReW code BEo112 translates to Wayne's E01.1.2 (the
Eclipse) and BMo221 translates to M02.2.1 (the Merritt).
The styles are derived as follows: 0 = o; 1 = i; 2 =
z; 9 = g
For use outside SCReWbase it is suggested that you
use the format:
Class - B;
Type - the initial letter of the marked name
(ignoring "The"); for unmarked bar screws Type X could be
used.
style - x (not designated)
Class C - Combinations
This is a very complex Class of corkscrews. The
SCReWcode depends upon the tools that are present. The Types and styles
are applied in alphabetical order going down the following list
(except that U is always considered after W). It is possible to
have a code CCc but not CLc (it should be CCl).
|
Type; style |
Description |
|
B; b |
Blade or spike on the end of a T handle |
|
C; c |
Can opener (includes blade and slotted sardine versions) |
|
E; e |
Eating implement - knife, fork or spoon from canteen or
campaign sets
(but not medicine or cocktail spoons)
|
|
F; f |
Funnel (all wine funnels) |
|
G; g |
Glass cutter wheel |
|
I; i |
Ice pick/hammer/chopper |
|
J; j |
Jigger |
|
K; k |
Knife sharpener - "wheels" and steels (including
picnic type) |
|
L; l |
cap Lifter |
|
M; m |
Marble pusher for Codd bottles |
|
P; p |
can Piercer (triangular blade with lever action) |
|
S; s |
Spoon - medicine or cocktail (not an eating spoon from a
canteen set) |
|
U; u |
Unclassified (none of the others) |
|
W; w |
Wall mounted cap lifter (Wall mounts (Brown type)) |
|
x |
no other tool (styles only - it is not possible to have Type X) |
There is a potential overlap of Combinations with
Figurals, Knives, Pocket & Protected and T-straight pulls. Follow
the SCReW Decision Tree to identify the right Class. But generally:-
- Anything that has Figural characteristics will usually be found in
Class F;
- Folding or fixed blade knives with corkscrews are in Class K -
except where there is a significant tool extending beyond the main
body of the knife - these are in Class C;
- Multi-tool folding bows & multi-tool cased roundlets are in PB
and PR. But many sheathed corkscrews with significant tools on the
head or sheath will be found in Class C - if in doubt check in PO,
PP, PT;
- Straight pulls with tools on the handle or shank are in Class C (a
brush is NOT considered as a tool). But tools on the handles of
Easers (Henshall types etc) ARE coded as Class E
Class E - Easers
|
Types |
Examples |
styles; button material for EB; handle, shank or size for EC,
ED, ES, EU |
|
B |
Buttons |
Henshall types, fat thick buttons
|
a
b
c
i
m
o
p
s
t
u
w
x
|
- animal material (antler, bone, ivory, horn, tortoise-shell,
tusk)
- brass, bronze
- composition (celluloid, catalin, plastic, bakelite, ceramic)
- iron or steel (ferrous metals)
- miniature
- other metal (pewter, aluminum, white metal)
- mother of pearl
- silver, gold
- twisted wire (buttons must have more than one complete turn in
the wire spiral, if not they are coded as T)
- unclassified material (glass, agate)
- wood
- not designated
|
|
C |
Claws |
Claws or grippers at the base of shank; Gamble's Lever,
Viarengo
|
|
D |
Double helix |
ALL double helix; Barnes, Williamson, Wilson, Magic Twist |
|
S |
Spikes |
Maud (but not Jones I & II - see Mechanicals)
|
|
U |
Unclassified |
|
Class F - Figurals
|
Types |
Examples |
styles |
|
A |
AQUATIC |
Fish, alligator, seal, seahorse, serpent, sea shell, turtle
etc. |
b
c
f
h
p
s
t
u
|
- brass British flat back or hollow back (sometimes 2 sided)
- combination - separate parts fit together to form a whole
figure
- free standing (with a fixed worm)
- hinged worm (takes precedence over other styles)
- plain sheath with a figural insert
- sheathed figural - the corkscrew is not part of the figure
- straight pull (T) - fixed worm, no sheath
- unclassified
|
|
B |
BIRDS |
|
|
C |
CATS |
|
|
D |
DOGS |
|
|
E |
EXTREMITIES OF PEOPLE, EROTIC |
Hands, feet & other body parts - excluding heads |
|
F |
FARM ANIMALS |
Bull, cow, donkey, horse, mouse, pig, rabbit, squirrel |
|
G |
GUNS & WEAPONS |
|
|
H |
HEADS OF PEOPLE |
Head, or head & shoulders |
|
I |
INSECTS & PESTS |
Insects & other household pests (spider, snail, etc.) |
|
K |
KEYS |
Keys, letter openers |
|
L |
LIFESTYLE |
Banners, bottles, clothing, corks, drinking, flags, gambling,
golf, hockey, medallions, music, smoking, sports |
|
O |
OTHER WORLDLY |
Bacchus, cherub, devil, dragons, gnome, pixie, Popeye, satyr,
sci-fi, skull, snowman |
|
P |
PEOPLE - WHOLE |
|
|
R |
REAL ESTATE |
All buildings |
|
S |
SYROCO |
All Syroco pieces |
|
T |
TRANSPORTATION |
By land, sea and air; cars, motorcycles, horse & rider,
ships, anchors etc. |
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
Bells, numbers, letters |
|
V |
VINE & VEGETABLE |
Vegetable, vine, grapes, fruit, flower, things that grow in the
ground |
|
W |
WILD ANIMALS |
Bear, boar, buck, elephant, fox, monkey, mountain goat,
tortoise, zebra |
Class K - Knives with corkscrews
|
Types |
Comments |
styles |
|
B |
BOTTLE |
Bottle shaped scales |
a
b
c
d
i
o
p
s
u
w
x
|
- animal material scales (antler, bone, ivory, horn,
tortoise-shell, tusk)
- brass, bronze scales
- composition scales (celluloid, catalin, plastic, bakelite,
ceramic)
- decorative (inc. specific advertising designs)
- iron, steel scales (ferrous metals)
- other metal scales (pewter, aluminum, white metal)
- mother of pearl scales
- silver, gold scales
- unclassified material scales (glass, agate)
- wood scales
- not designated
|
|
C |
CAP LIFTER or CARTRIDGE EXTRACTOR |
Tool is integral with main body (tools that extend well
beyond the main body are in Class C) |
|
E |
EATING IMPLEMENTS |
Folding knife with fork and/or spoon on same item -
includes sets that slot together |
|
F |
FIGURE SHAPED |
Figure shaped scales |
|
H |
HORSEMAN’S |
Hoof pick folding over the body |
|
L |
LEGS/LAGUIOLE |
|
|
P |
POCKET CLASSIC |
|
|
S |
STRAIGHT BLADE |
Fixed blade - dagger |
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
|
|
W |
WATTS’ PATENT TYPE |
Spring loaded arm that acts as a handle for nippers etc. |
|
X |
EXTENDED CORKSCREWS |
A design that allows the worm to be longer than normal -
Paffrath, Hammesfahr, Williams (Kastor), Steinfeld, Müller |
Class L - Levers
|
Types |
Description |
styles &
examples |
|
C |
COMPOUND |
Compound levers have several attached lever arms |
e
s
z
|
- eight arms - Ideal, Perfect, Polichinelle Rapid, Yprim
- six arms - Armstrong, Debouchtout, Peerless, Perfect,
Pullezi, Reliable,
- ten (zehn) arms - Éclair, Kis-ply, Souplex, Tric Trac, Yprim,
Zig Zag, double & normal Wier
|
|
D |
DOUBLE |
Double levers have two lever arms |
c
f
p
r
|
- cam - Baker
- figural - Anna G, Sommelier, clown, girl, waiter
- pivot - A1, Empire, Goliath, Gropelli, Vogliotti
- rack - Cudzikowski, Campagnolo, Eterno, Magic Lever, Murray
& Stalker
|
|
L |
LUND TYPE |
These have an upper single lever arm and a static lower arm |
j
t
|
- joined - Dordet, Hampton
- two-piece - BB, Coney, Lund and derivatives, Tangent
|
|
S |
SINGLE |
Single levers have one lever arm |
c
p
r
|
- cam - Francois, Rasch, Royal Club, Russel
- pivot - Bechon Morel, Burgess & Fenton, L' Express, Le
Presto, Noyes, Sperry, Subito, Tucker
- rack - Hipkins, Le Parfait, Puigpull, Roussau, Traifor
|
|
W |
WAITER’S FRIEND |
Waiter’s friends are a sub-group of the single levers. The
fulcrum post fits snugly over the worm. Figural ones are included
here. |
b
f
i
l
o
u
|
- brass, bronze scales
- figure shaped scales
- iron & steel scales
- left handed worm
- other material scales
- unclassified
|
Class M - Mechanical
|
Types |
Examples |
styles |
|
C |
CRAB PIECE |
Shaft joined to handle and threaded to crab piece or clutch;
Brown, Fischer, Twigg & Bateman, The King, L’Extract |
b
c
f
h
o
s
w
x |
- barrel
- collar, cone, bell
- frame (fixed)
- hinged frame
- open frame (no bottom ring)
- spring barrel/frame
- window barrel
- not designated |
|
F |
FREE FLY NUT |
Shaft joined to handle and threaded to fly nut; Aero, Victor,
Hélice variants, etc. |
|
I |
INTERLOCKING SHAFTS & SNAIL FACE |
Inner shaft rises after interlocking with outer shaft -
includes snail faces: Diamant, Alvord and Brown, Twigg &
Bateman, Kummer |
|
K |
KINGS SCREW |
Narrow rack, wide rack; Kummer |
|
L |
LOCKING HANDLE |
Shaft threaded to handle which has a locking device; Bateman,
Bodega, Ehrhardt, Gounevitch, Kampf, Shrapnel, Twigg, Voigt,
Woodman, Wulfruna |
|
P |
PERPETUAL |
Cotterill, many German frame & barrel versions, DICO |
|
R |
RACK |
London Rack, Perille, JB, Korkmaster, many German & Italian
versions |
|
S |
SWIVEL LOCK |
Shaft is threaded to handle & has a swivel over locking
top; Bague, Challenge, Korkmaster Jr., Williamson Burgundy |
|
T |
THOMASON |
Thomason patent I, II, IV, VI-XVI), French spring barrel,
VULCAN |
|
V |
VARIANTS |
Thomason Variants (Patent III), Thomason Serpent (Patent V) |
|
D |
DIRECT PRESSURE |
Hull Presto, Van Gieson (& frame), Qvarnstrom (Sloor) |
x |
- not designated |
|
G |
GRINDER - COFFEE |
Mostly Italian, Perille |
|
N |
NECK, THREADED |
Threaded shank acts through a threaded neck:
Left hand thread - Williamson Power Screw, Mabson, G. Karl;
Right hand thread - L'Excelsior, Coney, many English 2 pillars;
Two handles - Club, Valezina
|
l
r
t
x |
- left hand threaded shank
- right hand threaded shank
- two handles
- not designated |
|
W |
WING NUT - FIXED |
Threaded shank, wing nut fixed to frame; Farrow & Jackson,
Perille's Hélice, many Italians |
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
Phillips electric;
Uses fluid or gas to pump up the shaft & lift it, Artmer CO2;
Jacks; Fortunato
Ratchets: Dixon, Newton;
Telescopic, Walton's windlass;
Unclassified - Dupuis, Kemper, Syme, Jones I & II
|
e
g
j
m
p
u
x
|
- electric
- gas, hydraulic
- jack
- mechanical ratchet
- pulley, windlass
- unclassified
- not designated
|
Class N - Non-worm extractors
|
Types |
Examples |
styles |
|
H |
HOOK |
Inserted between the bottle and cork - then turned to engage
the cork before pulling |
b
m
h
t
e
|
In
priority order
- bow
- multi-barb
- handle with added tool
- tooth (upward spike)
- ear (flat top)
|
|
I |
INJECTION |
Inserts a needle through the cork and pressurizing the space
between the liquid and the cork |
a
c
|
- air pump
- CO2 cartridge
|
|
P |
PRONGS |
Inserted between the cork and bottle. By turning slightly most
corks can be eased out of the bottle |
b
s
f
h
j
|
In
priority order
- bow
- separate parts
- folding
- handle with added tool
- joined (two prongs fixed to a handle - no tool)
|
|
R |
RETRIEVERS |
Used to recover loose corks from the body of the bottle |
g
m
t
|
- gripper
- multi-barb
- tooth
|
|
S |
SPIKE |
Some partially piercing the cork and need a twist or others
that go all the way through. |
x |
not designated, e.g. Call, Korn, U-NEEK
|
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
|
x |
Mestre II |
Class P - Pocket and Protected
|
Types |
Examples |
styles |
|
B |
BOWS & HARPS |
Worm
folds out for action from protective "bow" to 180º |
a
b
c
i
l
m
o
p
s
t
u
w
x
|
- animal material (antler, bone, ivory, horn, tortoise-shell, tusk)
- brass, bronze
- composition (celluloid, catalin, plastic, bakelite, ceramic)
- iron, steel (ferrous metals)
- left handed
- miniature, mid size
- other metal (pewter, aluminum, white metal)
- mother of pearl
- silver, gold
- twisted wire
- unclassified material (agate, glass, rubber)
- wood
- not designated
|
|
C |
CANES & WALKING STICKS |
|
|
F |
FOLDING |
Protective "arms" (plain, animal legs, shoes), clam
shell/pea-pod, champagne wire cutter "scissors", barrel
with double folding worm |
|
H |
HOLLWEG TYPE |
|
|
L |
LEGS & PEOPLE (FOLDING) |
Ladies’ legs, Amor |
|
O |
"O" HOLE FINGER PULL & SHEATH |
One or more finger holes in handle |
|
P |
PICNICS |
The sheath fits snugly into the head to form a T handle |
|
R |
ROUNDLETS |
Normal roundlets & cased multi-tool sets |
|
T |
"T" HANDLE & SHEATH |
Includes many Dutch silver corkscrews (including figural
handles) |
|
W |
PEG & WORM |
|
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
|
Class S - Self pullers and partial pullers
|
Types |
Description & examples |
styles |
|
A |
ALL SCREW |
The frame remains stationary while the cork works up the worm
until it is clear of the bottle; e.g. Screwpull |
b
c
f
h
o
s
w
u
x |
- barrel
- cup/cone/bell (partial puller)
- frame - joined at bottom
- hinged frame - sides or bottom pivot
- open frame - not joined at bottom
- spring barrel
- window barrel
- unclassified
- not designated |
|
F |
FREE - SLIDE & ROTATE |
The frame or barrel is free to ride up and down the shaft and
rotate at the same time; e.g. Chinnock. |
|
L |
LIMITED MOVEMENT; LOCK, RELEASE, STOP
or
LOCKING MECHANISM
|
The range of movement on the shaft is limited by the presence
of a stop mechanism (e.g. Curley); or it has a locking
mechanism for releasing the shank to remove the cork (e.g. many
German frames) |
|
N |
NO MOVING PARTS |
No internal movement of any part of the corkscrew; e.g. Bennit |
|
R |
ROTATE ONLY - NO UP/DOWN MOTION |
Typically the American bell. It can turn but not rise or fall;
e.g. Walker & Williamson |
|
S |
SPRING TENSION, ROTATE
(Type L takes priority)
|
An internal spring or spring-over-shaft provides lift as it
becomes compressed; e.g. Hercules |
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
|
Class T - T-Screws and other straight pulls
|
Types |
Comments |
styles |
|
D |
DECORATIVE |
Takes priority over all but Lever Hole |
a
b
c
i
l
m
o
p
s
t
u
w
x
|
- animal material (antler, bone, ivory, horn, tortoise-shell,
tusk)
- brass, bronze
- composition (celluloid, catalin, plastic, bakelite, ceramic)
- iron, steel (ferrous metals)
- left handed
- miniature (optional use)
- other metal (pewter, aluminum, white metal)
- mother of pearl
- silver, gold
- twisted wire
- unclassified (glass, agate)
- wood
- not designated
|
|
E |
EYEBROW |
|
|
L |
LEVER HOLE |
Takes priority over all other Types |
|
M |
MEDICINE, PERFUME |
Excludes vertical
handles which are TV |
|
O |
"O"-HOLE, FINGER PULL |
Includes D-shaped cap lifter handles |
|
S |
SETS CONTAINING T-SHAPE STRAIGHT PULLS |
Includes only traditional Ts in sets; Bonsa type tool sets |
|
T |
T-SHAPED STRAIGHT PULLS |
All standard plain straight pulls - may have advertising |
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
|
|
V |
VERTICAL HANDLE & NECESSAIRES |
|
Class Z - Champagne
& soda taps (ZD, ZL, ZP, ZT) + related tools
|
Types |
Comments |
styles |
|
D |
DROP POINT |
The point is put into the end of the pipe & used to
penetrate the cork. The point drops into the bottle & is
recovered later |
l
m
n
w
x |
- long tap (for ZL)
- medium length tap (for ZL)
- no worm on stem/shaft
- worm on stem/shaft
- not designated |
|
L |
LONG TAP |
|
|
P |
PIPES |
Tubes with a fixed point; with or without a worm on the shaft |
|
T |
TROCAR |
Pointed wire down the inside of the pipe; with or without a
worm on the shaft |
|
C |
CORK REPLACER |
Used for stoppering an opened bottle; may have a tap |
u
x |
- unclassified
- not designated |
|
E |
EASER |
Pushed under the cork to lever it out |
|
G |
GRIPPER |
Grips the cork to twist it out |
|
K |
KNIVES |
Without corkscrews |
|
U |
UNCLASSIFIED |
|
|
W |
WIRE CLIPPER |
Without corkscrews |
p
s
x
|
- pliers
- scissors
- not designated
|
|