What is a Figural Bottle Opener?

At the first collector convention, members established the criteria for a figural bottle opener.

 

It must be a figure designed for the sole purpose of opening a bottle.

It must be three dimensional on both sides.

It must be free standing or wall mounted.

The part that actually lifts the bottle cap should be an integral part of the figure.

 

Some openers do not meet the first (for example, an integrated can punch) and last criterion (a small additional hook cast into the piece), but have gained club acceptance because they were included in the original catalogues of well-known opener manufacturers. Most figural openers are made of painted cast iron and painted or unpainted aluminum although brass and bronze are not uncommon material either. The hook/loop/lever may be hidden in a piece of shrubbery or be part of a beak, tail or mouth.