Before the Corkscrew: Wine in the Ancient World

Wine is among humanity's oldest beverages, but for most of its history, it wasn't sealed with cork. Ancient Greeks and Romans stored wine in amphoras sealed with wax, resin, or cloth soaked in oil. The idea of the cork stopper — and the tool to remove it — is a relatively modern invention, emerging only after glassmaking and cork cultivation matured in Europe.

The Rise of the Cork Stopper

Glass wine bottles became common in 17th-century England, and with them came the need for an effective seal. Cork — harvested from the bark of cork oak trees (Quercus suber) grown primarily in Portugal and Spain — proved ideal. It was compressible, impermeable, and could be cut to fit any bottle neck. By the mid-1600s, cork stoppers were widely used across Europe.

There was just one problem: getting the cork back out.

The "Gun Worm" and the First Corkscrews

The earliest corkscrews appear to have been inspired by a military tool called a gun worm — a spiral device used to extract unspent charges from musket barrels. It's believed that someone — the identity is lost to history — realized that the same spiraling motion that pulled wadding from a gun barrel would work equally well on a cork.

The first documented mention of a "steel worm" used to draw corks appears in an English document from around 1681. By the early 18th century, corkscrews were a recognized category of household tool across Britain and Europe.

The Patent Boom of the 19th Century

The 1800s were a golden age of corkscrew innovation. As wine drinking became more widespread across social classes, inventors filed hundreds of patents for new designs. Key developments included:

  • 1795: The first recorded corkscrew patent, granted to the Reverend Samuel Henshall in England. His design added a button between the helix and the handle to break the seal between cork and glass before extraction.
  • 1802: Edward Thomason patents a self-extracting "double-action" corkscrew — as the worm went in, a second thread mechanism simultaneously pulled the cork out.
  • 1880s: The waiter's friend was developed in Germany (patented by Carl Wienke in 1882), introducing the lever arm that remains standard today.

By the end of the century, hundreds of distinct corkscrew designs existed, many featuring elaborate handles crafted from bone, ivory, silver, brass, and turned wood.

The 20th Century: From Novelty to Collectible

The 20th century saw corkscrews become both more utilitarian and more collectible. Plastic manufacturing made mass-produced openers cheap and accessible to all households. Meanwhile, the "winged" butterfly corkscrew became a kitchen staple in millions of homes from the 1930s onward.

Simultaneously, antique corkscrews became a passionate area of collection. Rare 18th and 19th-century examples — particularly mechanical "bar" corkscrews, ornate silver-handled pieces, and early patent designs — command significant interest among collectors and at auction houses.

Modern Corkscrews: Design Meets Engineering

The late 20th and early 21st centuries brought a new wave of innovation driven by ergonomics and materials science. The lever-style corkscrew (popularized as the "Rabbit" in the 1990s) made effortless opening accessible to everyone. Electric corkscrews eliminated physical effort entirely. Titanium and aerospace-grade steel entered premium product lines.

Meanwhile, the classic waiter's friend received refinements — the double-hinged lever, Teflon-coated worms, and ergonomic handles — elevating a Victorian invention into a precision tool worthy of professional use.

The Corkscrew as Cultural Object

Few household tools have inspired as much creative energy as the corkscrew. Thousands of patents, entire museum collections, global collector communities, and design icons have all emerged from this simple spiral on a handle. The Musée du Tire-Bouchon in Ménerbes, France, houses one of the world's largest corkscrew collections.

In an age when screw caps and Stelvin closures are common, the cork stopper — and the corkscrew it requires — remains a symbol of tradition, craft, and the ritual pleasure of opening a fine bottle of wine.