131

Sailor Man

On April 28, 1937 a Swedish firm, Bull

‟

s Presstjänst, applied for

a United Kingdom patent for

“

An Improved Corkscrew and

Stand.

”

Although the patent drawing features that lovable

spinach eating character Popeye, it does not mention

“

Popeye

”

.

It describes how the handle of the corkscrew is formed like a

statuette and the lower part is a stand with a cavity to

accommodate the worm.

Max Fleischer

‟

s, the Betty Boop and Popeye studio, licensed the

Popeye character to Bull

‟

s Presstjänst owners Cornelius Bull

and Helge Steinsvik. In Sweden the character is known as Karl-

Alfred. The corkscrew was produced by the Zuckerman and

Jonasson foundry.

The firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. in the Southampton Buildings, London, served

as agent for the applicant.