John Murphy’s patent of April 23, 1901 added another tool to the button and bell
models. By adding a short spur on the top of the button and on the upper rim of the
neckring of the open bell, crown caps could be lifted and wires cut.
Normally one thinks of T‐handled corkscrews when thinking of Murphy but they
also made both a Challenge and a Victor. An extremely rare example uses the frame
of the Challenge and Victor with a T‐handled corkscrew.
Dame Stoddard & Kendall was a firm in Boston which had sole distribution rights
for Murphy products. In their circa 1900 catalog they show some corkscrews not
shown in Murphy’s catalogs, including some with wire cutters on the handle. They
also show a slightly different rosewood handle.
No corkscrews with bells are
pictured. All are simple except those on the two pages reproduced on page 17 and
18.
MARKINGS
All Murphy corkscrews are marked on the metal, never on the handle. The earliest
ones were stamped MURPHY but later on R. MURPHY/BOSTON was used. Often the
stamping is poor and it is difficult to read both lines. Markings are usually about an
inch below the handle and not necessarily visible when the corkscrew is laid flat.
The patented models made in Harvard after the paten was issues are stamped on
the bottom of the bell and the top of the button R. MURPHY, HARVARD, MASS./PAT.
APRIL 23, 1901. Later ones made in Ayer are marked on the shaft PAT. APR. 23,
1901, R. MURPHY.
The Challenge and the Victor models are usually marked R. MURPHY BOSTON
across the top of the open frame which is usually arched. On example has square cut
openings and is marked ROBERT MURPHY. It is probably an early example.
Although the Murphy firm was in Mansfield from 1862 to 1877 and later in Harvard
and Ayer, except for a few patented examples I have never seen any location other
than Boston on his corkscrews and only the earliest ones and the patented ones
made in Ayer omit the city. On the other hand, the answer is that Murphy, using
Dame Stoddard & Kendall of Boston as their sole agents, marked Boston on their
products as long as their contract lasted. If corkscrew production ceased prior to
the termination of their contract there would be no corkscrews marked Ayer. This
does not explain the Harvard markings. Do you have a Murphy corkscrew marked
Ayer or Mansfield?
Following are catalog pages from the Russell & Erwin 1882, Murphy, 1901 and
1908, and circa 1900 Dame Stoddard & Kendall, as well as John Murphy’s 1901
patent. Page 12 of the 1901 catalog has been omitted, as it is identical to page 13
except for flat worms instead of round. Page 17 is omitted because the original is