At around 800 years old, a Victorian Corkscrew comprising of multiple components from the original 1176 London Bridge was auctioned off last week, in England. The nifty wine gizmo ended up being sold at a whopping $62k, nearly 100 times more than the listed guide price.
Engraved with the words “Made from the Iron Shoe that was taken from a pillar. That was 656 Years in the Foundation of Old London Bridge.”, the Corkscrew itself is unable to be used, as its fragile state would see it break apart instantly. Despite the listing mentioning this, as well as it missing a piece from corrossion, it was still able to sell at such a staggering figure.
The original London Bridge was created in 1176, eventually being replaced in the 1830’s. Throughout its time the bridge was a frequent hotspot for pop up travel shops transported by horse/cattle and cart. In fact, it was probably quite a hip spot for wine sales. It was after the deconstruction of the original bridge 1832 that the corkscrew was crafted by Ovenston of 72 Great Titchfield Street, London.
