Apple Bottle Opener

I am working on a book for my partner and I am trying to attribute who and when this apple bottle opener was made. It has a magnet on the back so it can stick to the fridge. Any information would be a huge help. It doesn't have any brand markings on it.

 

Welcome to Antiquers Alex!

 

looks like a hardware store item from the 70's...

 

Or 80s...or 90s even. Unless marked I doubt you'll ever ID a manufacturer.

 

I haven't seen these produced for a long time.....
BUT.....the one's above are newer trade show give a ways.......so u may be on to something....in truth I don't remember the magnet being used in the 70's...

It reminds me of a vintage applebee's logo....

But also that I used this type of opener when we bought apple juice....in large cans !!

 

Yeah I'm sure it was an inexpensive item. My guess is that it is older than the 90's because the apple details are raised molded plastic and then painted. Once you get into the 90's direct to surface printing became more common.

 

I always heard this double-duty opener (bottle cap remover and triangular can punch) called a "church key."

 

still called that !

 

We had one of those with oranges on it! I know they were around in the late 70s. Anybody else remember Hawaiian Punch in a can?

 

The term Church Key was helpful and late 70's makes sense. Are there any resources for looking up this type of object?

 

This is the type of inexpensive item made in huge numbers by various suppliers for further sale to second parties that offered them to third parties with the third party’s advertising on them. Third party would give them away. Like matchbooks and many other novelty items. Maybe a chapter in the book could explain how that all works and show a group picture of a few dozen similar novelty-advertising items. 1. Acme Metal Products Inc. 2. Hippledink Advertising Novelties 3. Paula’s Plumbing Service (gives away tiny metal toilet bottle openers where the edge of the toilet seat will remove the bottle caps.)