November 2005 - A collectors plea by Peter Borrett

Well, I'm just over three years into my corkscrew collecting addiction as I pen this article, a similar timescale
to my good buddy Chris Bristow. I had to laugh the other day when we spoke on the phone. Chris asked me
if I'd found anything new? I think he was expecting a different answer to the one I gave. "Yes, I have" I said
quite excitedly. "I've finally found the Double Dog corkscrew with the registration number". He responded "I
can't believe you're still looking for those" My reply "WOOF"!

Well, each to their own. As far as I'm concerned the quirkiness & charm of these charismatic figurals are
worthy of any corkscrew collection.

Dr Frank Ellis has written a wonderful monograph that you can find at corkscrewnet. It discusses registered
British figural corkscrews from the first found reference, registration number 254376 of 1895 for a silver
salmon to registered designs of the 1950's. The article clears up many mysteries of the various corkscrews
found with a registration number. The information is based on hours of research by his wife Barbara &
himself, with further help from the CCCC members.

My main area of interest within these registered designs are the various free standing figurals. Pretty much
from when I started collecting corkscrews I took an active interest looking for these designs & have been
lucky to find a goodly number with the registration mark. It got me thinking though...Were all these
corkscrews produced originally with the registration mark? As It seemed to me that some just didn't surface
with the mark at all. After a couple of SOS emails to Frank, he responded with a resounding YES/NO/Maybe.
Well of twenty two corkscrews - yes to twenty & no but maybe to two (Based on you never say never).

Following this helpful information I went through my collection to find out exactly what I had & what I needed
to complete the set. You'll find the results below, together with comments from Frank that I hope will help you
& your own search if you are so inclined.

If you have a registered design with the magic numbers that's missing in my collection below & you want to
trade or sell please drop me a line - good trade bait awaits or there's the wife's shopping money - your
choice.
Diagrams courtesy of
Frank Ellis Monograph at Corkscrewnet
 My collection of figurals
Marked  with
reg 779323
Marked  with
reg 779325
Marked  with
reg 779331
Marked with
reg 779329
Added 26th
June 07
Marked  
ENGLAND
WANTED WITH
REG NUMBER
This series of figurals were all registered on 19th January
1933 to Pearson-Page-Jewsbury Co., Soho Works, Western
Road, Birmingham England.

Frank comments: "This series is normally found with numbers,
although later versions are not numbered & often marked
MADE IN ENGLAND OR PEERAGE".
Marked  with
reg 780440
Unmarked
WANTED WITH REG
Unmarked
WANTED WITH REG
Pearson-Page-Jewsbury also registered this set of six
figurals on 10th February 1933. These include Bonzo dog, a
cartoon character that was famous at the time.

Frank comments: "This series can all be found with the
registration mark".
Marked  with
reg 811349
Marked with reg
813867
Added 10th Nov 07
Marked  with
reg 813866
Marked with
reg 813836
Added 8th August 15
Unmarked
Does this exist with
the registration
number?
Marked with reg
777641
Added 15th August 07
Marked  REGD
Does this exist with
the registration
number?
This final group of three pre-date the others. Firstly, reg
773243 to Exencourt & Co on 13th May 1932 & followed by
777641-777644 (2 not checked) on 20th October 1932 to
The Hercules Cycle & Motor Co. of Crane Industries, Manor
Mills, Long Acre in Birmingham. According to Frank's
findings the rights to reg nos 777641-777644 were sold to
Pearson-Page-Jewsbury by virtue of a deed dated 19th
September 1933 between the two companies.
Frank states "Reg no's 773243 & 777642 are not known marked
with the registration but since you can never prove a negative I
would never say that the two exceptions don't exist. The later is
usually found marked REGD. Design number 777641 can be found
numbered but also it turns up sometimes wrongly stamped as
777642".
Thanks to the efforts of Frank & the
input of the CCCC members it
appears that the only two figurals
that are not known stamped with
their registration numbers are
these guys.

Look left - look right & then check
your one.

Maybe they are out there with the
magic numbers - who knows????
If you have any registered figural corkscrews on
my wants list that you wish to sell or trade please
don't hesitate to get in touch.
Peter@corkscrewsonline.com
WANTED
Marked  with
reg 779326
Marked  with
reg 779327
Marked  with
reg 779324
Marked  with
reg 780445
Marked  with
reg 780444
Marked  Reg Applied
for
WANTED WITH REG
Four more registered designs by Pearson-Page-Jewsbury with their
feet & chin designed as a caplifter. These were registered on 16th
July 1936.

Frank comments: "All these designs are known to exist with the
registration number".