Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0005-0034   CAS 0005-0034; Letter opener / paper knife
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 three pieces of ivory; The handle and blade are light in color with the guard being darker brown; 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 = 3.1, Thickness = 1.6, Length = 19.6