International Correspondence of Corkscrew Addicts
As of August 1st, 2007
The Inaugural Meeting of the ICCA took place in London, England, October 1, 1974.
Membership
1. The Correspondence shall consist of collectors, sellers and users of corkscrews who wish to add to and/or gain from the knowledge of other members. (Oct 1, 1974). By resolution at the 1999 AGM, the following membership structure was instituted. (Sep 8, 1999):
ICCA MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE
1. Addicts - regular members who are collectors, sellers and users of corkscrews (no definition of what is active). It was agreed to maintain the present level of 50 members (Sept 27th, 1996)
2. Honorary Members - those who were invited to be a Honorary Member by the Right and have accepted such invitation. Typically, these addicts made a substantial contribution to the ICCA in the past.
3. Associate Members - corkscrew lovers who may arrive in this category in three different ways:
- Addicts in good standing who have decided to "Retire" from corkscrew collecting. They must have sold their corkscrews and they are no longer actively collecting corkscrews. Upon a written application to be moved to the Associate category, the Right would determine if they qualify. However, no one would be forced to move into this category. A member in this category should welcome contact (his health permitting) from others so as to pass on some of their accumulated wisdom.
- Widows (Go-withs of all types) of member in good standing in any category when the addict dies could also enter this class. Joining would be entirely voluntary and they would have to declare their intentions within a year of the death of their spouse.
- A category by this name has been around since the inception of the club in 1974. The Right may invite members into this category. Only a few select people who have significant influence in the corkscrew collection world would be included, such as museum curators and auction house experts.
The following table shows the responsibilities of each of these classes:
| Activity | Addict(Limit 50 members) | Honorary Member(No limit) | Associate Member(No limit) |
| Annual Dues (presently $100 USD) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Attends AGM | Yes--per rules | Optional | Optional |
| Vote at AGM | Yes | No | No |
| Publishes Best Six | Yes.per rules | Optional | Optional |
| Receives BST | Yes | Optional | Optional |
| Collect | Yes | Optional | No.must have sold collection, or was a Go-with, or was an invitee |
| Correspond with other addicts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Does Research | Yes | Optional | Optional |
| Contributes to the BST | Yes | Optional | Optional |
2.
- Members may propose or second as new members anyone personally known to them and these candidates may be considered to be elected provided that the membership does not at any time exceed fifty. (Oct. 1, 1974, and amended Sep 30, 1975, and Nov 18, 1976).
- Prospective members shall send (to the Right) a photograph of their Best Six corkscrews, together with suitable written descriptions, as an indication of the extent of their collection and any research taken. (Nov 18, 1976).
- The Right may use his authority to invite additional Associate or Honorary members and shall use his authority to discipline inactive members with measures ranging from Probationary Status to dismissal. (Nov 3, 1978).
- The Right shall seek to persuade the least active members to resign or accept Associate Status in order to make room for more new candidates for full membership. (Sep 26, 1979).
3. The Duties of the Correspondents shall be:
- To correspond
- To send the Chief Correspondent copies of any items for general circulation
- To keep an active interest in corkscrews
- To vote on new resolutions
- To send annually to other correspondents a photograph or photographs of six of their best corkscrews. The guidelines on how to accomplish this were passed by resolution at the 1999 AGM, as follows (Sep 8, 1999):
GUIDELINES TO EXISTING RULES OF THE BEST SIX
1. Best Sixes must be distributed by mail, given out personally or electronically, if the recipient agrees, in each year to ALL addicts. The Best Six must be clearly designated as to the calendar year it is intended for.
2. Photographs or electronic equivalents as created by digital cameras or scanners of 6 corkscrews should be at least 3.5. x 5. or 10cm x 15cm.
3. One might send out a photo of .new acquisitions. or .most interesting new finds. rather than simply the best pieces. Themes are encouraged also where a particular type or manufacturer is featured. Educational values may be increased this way.
4. Accompanying the pictures Addicts should submit a detailed description and as much pertinent information as possible about the corkscrews presented, for example: patent papers, catalogue pages, packing boxes, etc. For more clarity, reference to a publication by itself is not acceptable as a .detailed. description; nevertheless, Addicts are encouraged to cross-reference a piece if there is a publication that has shown the corkscrew in the past. This is most important if the educational goal is to be met.
5. Best Sixes should be postmarked or time stamped by the computer if delivered electronically in the year for which they are issued.
6. Best Six corkscrews do not have to be obtained in the year they are shown.
7. More than six corkscrews in the Best Six is acceptable only if appropriate for a particular theme for the Addict.s Best Six or if the additional corkscrews are shown for comparison or reference.
8. Under exceptional circumstances an addict may substitute an unusual communication containing visual materials together with a suitable educational content which would be considered by most as a substantial contribution to the Correspondence.
9. "Forward" Best Sixes are frowned upon and if issued, they will not be counted for the year for which they are designated. For more clarity, the addict will have to publish another Best Six during the forward year to fulfill his obligation in that year.
FORFEIT OF MEMBERSHIP
4. Failure to circulate a Best Six or permitted alternate for two consecutive years shall result in forfeit of Membership of the Correspondence. (Oct 30, 1990).
5. Failure to attend three consecutive Annual General Meetings may result in forfeit of Membership of the Correspondent. Each case shall be taken individually: a Committee consisting of the current officers, namely the Right, the Chief Correspondent, the Treasurer and the Chaplain shall review each such member.s circumstances as a Committee and reach a consensus as to the fate of Membership of the Correspondence for that Member (Oct 30, 1990).
Organization
6. Officers:
a. The Chief Executive of the Correspondence shall carry the title of RIGHT (Oct 1, 1974).
b. The Officers of the Correspondence shall be:
- The RIGHT
- The CHAPLAIN
- The CHIEF CORRESPONDENT (Oct 1, 1974)
- The HONORARY TREASURER (Oct 10, 1986)
- The MASTER of the PUNCH (Annual appointment) (Oct 4, 1983, September 15th 2000)
- The HONORARY LIBRARIAN (Aug 30, 1985)
- The HONORARY TOAST MASTER; there shall be a Official Toast to the ICCA as each meeting, by a member called upon by the RIGHT (Oct 10, 1986, November 7th, 2001)
7. New resolutions involving a change of Rule can be adopted only after a General Referendum which has obtained a majority of two thirds of those voting, the results of which shall be made known at the Annual General Meeting (Oct 1, 1974).
At no time and under no circumstances may any addict be represented by proxy (Aug 20, 2002).
8. The Right shall have as much authority as he desires over the affairs of the Correspondence and as little responsibility as he desires! (Oct 1, 1974).
9. The Duties of the Chief Correspondent shall be:
- Prepare and distribute Lists of Members
- Arrange meetings and take the Chair at meetings in the absence of the Right
- To keep an active interest in corkscrews
- Keep members up to date with relevant publications and report other items of interest
- Write a newsletter either annually or biannually. Amended subsequently to be the duty of the elected Editor of the .BottleScrue Times..
- Organize the voting on new Resolutions by a General Referendum and reporting this fully at the next Annual General Meeting (Nov 1, 1974).
Meetings
10. Meetings shall be cordial affairs, both instructive and entertaining. At least one sound beverage shall be shown and opened by a selected corkscrew on each particular occasion.
11. Meetings shall be held annually (Oct 1, 1974).
12. A Minute Book shall be kept and at each meeting the Minutes of the last one shall be read and approved.
13. The Annual General Meeting
- The Annual General Meeting shall be a length of 4 days, preferably starting with the Right.s Reception on Thursday and ending with the Farewell Breakfast on Monday.
- There shall be only one package for all participants, no part program.
- The following suggestions to the host are intended only to be guidelines. It is to be understood that the organizers have full freedom without limits to their plans.
- Include lots of corkscrew activities
- Provide cultural/educational content
- Offer lots of pre- and post-AGM optional activities, tours, trips, etc., all to be arranged and paid for by the addict who selects them.
- Hold the meeting when local conditions are the best.
- Reduce the costs of the meetings.
- Make plans flexible, so cost overruns are minimized.
Finances
14. The Honorary Treasurer shall be authorized to open a Saving Account in the name of the ICCA and to make withdrawals from the account at the direction of the Right (Nov 3, 1978). On Oct 10, 1986, Chief Correspondent changed to Honorary Treasurer.
15. There shall be an Annual Subscription, the amount to be determined for the following year at each Annual General Meeting (Oct 1, 1974).
16. It shall be permissible to charge, if necessary, a Registration Fee for those attending meetings, in order to defray costs, this to be decided by the hosts (Oct 12, 1980).
17. The Right shall be authorized to sanction subsidization from Correspondence of any Annual Meeting in a sum not exceeding .1000 (Sept 24, 1989).
Amended to raise the grant to US$3,500 (Aug 14, 1995).
Awards and Committees
18. There shall be established a Committee to make an annual award, to be known as "The Homer D. Babbidge, Jr. Award" in memory of that deceased Founding Member. This shall take the place of a badge or medal, to be presented to the Member who has made the greatest contribution during the year to research into corkscrews and has submitted to the Committee his findings in writing (Oct 26, 1984).
- There shall be a Certificate to accompany each award (July 27, 1988).
- There shall be a Certificate of Meritorious Achievement for any other submission considered by the Award Committee to be of high merit, such certificates to be awarded retrospectively (July 27, 1988).
19. There shall be established a Committee to make an annual award, to be known as "The Frank H. MacDonald Award" in memory of that deceased member. This shall take the place of a certificate, to be presented to the Member for the Best Six as submitted to all addicts during the calendar year of the award (Oct 2, 1991).
20. There shall be an annual award to be known as "The Robert P. Nugent Award" in memory of NU-RIGHT Bob Nugent. It will be based upon the best single story or item submitted to the BottleScrue Times. The BottleScrue Times editor will assume responsibility for the selection. (Sep 27, 1996).
Miscellaneous
13. A Committee shall be established to formulate means of using a computer to create a Corkscrew Inventory and Index of Reference Materials (Oct 26, 1984).
As of August 1st, 2007
| Bert Giulian | Fred Kincaid |
| Right | Chief Correspondent |
