Bottle opener?

[DiggerDave99]

I found this in an 1850's mining camp site. It kinda looks like a bottle opener but I'm not sure. What do you think?

 

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[HuntinDog]

Yep, I'd say bottle opener

 

[DiggerDave99]

Looks almost like it was sharpened to a point to be used as a crevasse tool or something.

 

[DCMatt]

From Etsy:

In 1892 William Painter introduced an invention and a process that forever changed the American consumer, the "Crown" bottle cap. His company, Crown, Cork & Seal, would become the world's leading innovator in packaging.
Offered here for sale is a truly antique cast iron bottle opener, that at first glance has a flat head screwdriver on the opposite end, in fact it is a lid lifter. Although there are no markings on the piece, this neat little item more than likely dates to the early 1900s.
Made of cast iron, it has survived the years beautifully with rich patina. . About 3 1/2" long.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Good news/bad news. That is an 1892 bottle opener for crown caps.

Good news is that it is the first model! Identical to the patent drawings.

check out this website:

Intoroducing the fascinating History of Bottle Openers

 

[DiggerDave99]

Wow! That is officially the coolest thing I have found yet! Thank you! You said good new/bad news.. What's the bad news?

 

[diggummup]

I was gonna say, if it was a bottle opener then it does not date to the 1850's but it looks like that's been established already. Nice relic and good id Matt!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Wow! That is officially the coolest thing I have found yet! Thank you! You said good new/bad news.. What's the bad news?

Just that it was not from the 1850's as you had mentioned the site may have had activity.

I think it's a pretty great find. Cheers!

 

[RileyDigger]

That is a good find, I know because I just found one a week or so ago.

I didn't know what it was at first. Because of the slot on the pointed end, I initially thought it was an old style can opener that you had to roll around the can to take off a small metal strip.

I'm glad I now know what I have. Rather neat.