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Israeli Knockoffs

During the 1930s a number of applications for Registered Designs for animal figures

with corkscrews and other objects were filed in England. These included a variety of

dogs, elephants, pixies, cats, and pigs. The free standing corkscrews were also produced

in Sweden and Austria. Unlike the Israeli one piece castings, all of the figure were

castings and the corkscrew was either screwed in to the casting or add to the casting. In

the first column below are Israeli corkscrews. All of these were apparently produced

after the non-Israeli designs in the second and third columns.

Helgir Solheim wrote,

―

There was definitely a connection between the Austrian

producers/designer and the Israelis. A number of the known Austrians were of Jewish

descent. Some of their employees emigrated to Israel before and after the World War II.

Among them were some who started to produce souvenirs including designs in a

number of the corkscrews we find from that early period.

Getting steel worms in that period was a problem because of import restrictions and

government regulations that gave priority to the use of steel to what was considered as

more 'urgent' or 'necessary' utensils. Hence we see all these corkscrews cast all in one

piece in brass or bronze, a material that had less restrictions when used. The method

was in addition cheaper but the corkscrew unfortunately inferior. The same can be said

to apply for many of the former Communist countries who had similar regulations

resulting in many of the corkscrews we find that are cast in one piece.

‖

Made in Israel

England

Baller Austria