Victorian ivory paper knife

Paper knives were once ubiquitous as before the machines that trim the pages of modern books were invented  or in widespread use book owners would have the pleasure of carefully cutting the pages of their new volumes. People also purchased paper in large sheets that would be cut down to size at home. It was expensive and not to be wasted. 

These useful items came in many forms - some highly decorative and others like this one more plain. On first impression it seems incredibly simple but it is actually quite elegant in its simplicity. The blade end is very thin but the handle piece is a little thicker and obviously being made from ivory it remains a luxury item. My research into this piece revealed that a New Zealander Ian Spellerman is the expert on these items that prior to his research were often described erroneously as page turners. His book on the topic is well worth a read for anyone interested in these pieces of history. 

There are a couple of minor scratches to the surface of the ivory that are shown with magnification in the photographs.

The book pictured is not included. Please look closely at the photographs as they form part of the description and please get in touch if you have any questions.