Catalog Number
|
Catalog Number |
CAS 0005-0035 | |
| Category | Carvings; Tools & Implements | |
| Object Name | Letter opener / paper knife | |
| Culture | Native Alaskan | |
| Global Region | North America | |
| Country | USA | |
| State/Prov./Dist. | Alaska | |
| County | ||
| Other Geographic Data | ||
| Maker's Name | ||
| Date of Manufacture | ||
| Collection Name | Liebes Collection (Native Alaskan) | |
| Materials | Ivory | |
| Description | Letter opener or paper knife carved from a single piece of ivory; Half circle designs are carved out near junction of blade and handle; Handle is rectangular and flat with the center part of the handle having a rectangular opening with a design of diamonds and X's carved in it; Paper knives were in common usage until the early 1900s, when books pages no longer routinely needed to be cut by the reader; letter openers came into vogue around the same time, with the advent of adhesive envelopes; Paper knives tend to be rounder and wider, while letter openers have narrower, pointed ends to fit into the unsealed corner of an envelope. | |
| Dimensions (cm) | Width = 2.5, Thickness = 0.4, Length = 16.5 | |