201

Korkmaster Variations

Marshall T. McDowell was granted Design Patent Number 148,810 on February 24, 1948

for this rack and pinion design. His application had been filed almost two years before

on April 25, 1946. World War II had helped make aluminum a household word and that

was the material McDowell chose for his corkscrew. McDowell and Bertha Carlson

Grudin had formed and trademarked the

―

Korkmaster Company

‖

in Red Bank, New

Jersey.

Here are three variations of

McDowell's 1948 Korkmaster

design patent. On the left is a

brushed aluminum version which

weighs 6.0 ounces (170 g). In the

center is a polished aluminum

version which weighs 6.2 ounces

(176 g). The one on the right is a

chrome plated aluminum version

which weighs 7.4 ounces (210 g).

A silver plated

Korkmaster. The

weight is 13.2 ounces

(374 g) or more than

double that of the

brushed aluminum

example. Also it is

1/16

‖

shorter. It could

be machined brass. His

corkscrew came in a

box from Frederick &

Nelson of Seattle,

Washington.

From

Wikipedia

:

―

Frederick & Nelson was a historic Seattle, Washington, department

store founded in 1890. Acquired by Marshall Field & Company in 1929, it closed its

doors in 1992. Its former Seattle flagship store is now occupied by the flagship

Nordstrom location.

‖