Frary‐ations

by

Josef Andre L’Africain

In 2000, Kenneth Cope published a book entitled

Kitchen Collectibles: An Identification

Guide.

His text, illustrated with catalog drawings and patent illustrations, feature two

pages, which focus on the corkscrews made by

James D. Frary. Interestingly, Cope explains that

Frary was only in business from 1888‐1890 at the

time of his death. In John Goin’s Encyclopedia of

Cutlery Markings, he gives the dates 1876‐1884.

Further, in another text,

New England Cutlery

by

Philip Pankiewicz, it is explained that Frary left

Landers, Frary, and Clark and started the Frary

Cutlery Company in 1876. However, it should be

noted that Landers, Frary, and Clark kept their

name despite Frary’s departure. There are other

references that support the 1876 date, one of

which is Frary’s October 10, 1876 patent

#183,151 for his Improvement in Table Cutlery,

which was assigned to the Frary Cutlery Company

of Bridgeport, CT.

Patents prior to that date,

Frary’s patent D7516 (June, 30, 1874) for

example was assigned to Landers, Frary, and

Clark.

Given what these three authors have said—while

they don’t necessarily agree—and the patent information unearthed thus far, we know that

the Frary Cutlery Company was in business from at least 1876 until 1886—the date of

Frary’s final patent. What we don’t know, yet, is when corkscrew production began, and

how many corkscrews he made.

While this brief overview of the corkscrews made by Frary will eventually be fleshed out

with further research into Frary, Meriden Malleable, and Frary’s role in Landers, Frary, and

Clark, and companies prior to LF&C, what is remarkable is we have yet to find any

corkscrew patents for Frary.

As we know, his bar screws, the

Sullivan

and the

Fifth Avenue

are marked with “FRARY” and

“PATENT APD FOR.” Clearly the esteemed Mr. Frary was involved in the patent process, as

he was awarded 26 various patents.

46555 February 28, 1865 Improved Faucet for oil and other liquids

86524 February 2, 1869 Improvement in Buts

97624 December 7, 1869 Improvement in Knife‐Handles