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ID #SA1170705
FOR SALE
£145
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Ebonised Lizard Letter Opener with Silver Plated Head
For sale by David Griffith Antiques
for sale €170     $184
£145
David Griffith Antiques

David Griffith Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Aug 2019
Browse dealers 178 items
  • About Us
    Specialising in library, hall and club room furniture, leather seating and writing tables, campaign and travelling furniture.
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Id #SA1170705
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Ebonised Lizard Letter Opener with Silver Plated Head

1900 - 1920
Description

Charming ebonised lizard letter opener with silver plated head (c.1910).

Physical Dimensions
Height
19cm (7.48")
Declaration

David Griffith Antiques has dated this Ebonised Lizard Letter Opener to the 1910s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1170705
Dealers Internal Reference
94266
Dealers Notes

Please supply item no. and postcode for delivery quote.

Shop hours: Wednesday and Saturday: 9.30 - 16.30. Or by appointment.

Visit us - www.davidgriffithantiques.com

Contact us - info@davidgriffithantiques.com

Description
Charming ebonised lizard letter opener with silver plated head (c.1910).
Height
19cm (7.48")
Date of Manufacture

David Griffith Antiques has dated this Ebonised Lizard Letter Opener to the 1910s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1170705
Dealers Internal Ref
94266
David Griffith Antiques
David Griffith Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Aug 2019

Specialising in library, hall and club room furniture, leather seating and writing tables, campaign and travelling furniture.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the David Griffith Antiques Profile Page

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An antique letter opener featuring a curved black ebonised wooden blade connected to a silver-plated metal handle shaped like a lizard.
1 / 2
Archive I An antique letter opener featuring a curved black ebonised wooden blade connected to a silver-plated metal handle shaped like a lizard.

Ebonised Lizard Letter Opener with Silver Plated Head

Archive II An antique letter opener featuring a curved black ebonised wooden blade connected to a silver-plated metal handle shaped like a lizard. View II
Enlarged Archival View
David Griffith Antiques

David Griffith Antiques
Telephone 020 7226 1126 or 07976 800 062
Location
17 Camden Passage
Islington
London
N1 8EA
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/davidgriffithantiques
Verified Since Aug 2019
Items For Sale 178
David Griffith Antiques
David Griffith Antiques
Verified Since Aug 2019
View Dealer Info
Location: 17 Camden Passage, Islington, London, N1 8EA, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/davidgriffithantiques
Verified
Aug 2019
For Sale
178
An antique letter opener featuring a curved black ebonised wooden blade connected to a silver-plated metal handle shaped like a lizard.
Ebonised Lizard Letter Opener with Silver Plated Head
Ref: SA1170705
An antique letter opener featuring a curved black ebonised wooden blade connected to a silver-plated metal handle shaped like a lizard.
Detail View 1
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectLetter Openers
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialEbonised Wood, Silver Plate
  • ColourBlack, Silver
  • MotifsLizard handle, Textured reptile scales, Curved blade
  • SizeH 19 cm (7 in)

This Victorian letter opener dates to approximately 1910 and belongs to a gentleman's library collection. The piece combines a smooth, curved black ebonised wooden blade with a silver-plated metal handle shaped into a detailed lizard. Visible details include textured reptile scales along the silver-plated head, four small clawed feet resting against the wood, and a tapered point at the tip of the blade. The entire object measures 19 cm in length. In a contemporary home, the opener serves as a functional desktop accessory on an office desk or study table. The design allows it to sit neatly among correspondence and stationery while providing a tactile decorative element for daily use.

FAQs

Display the item flat on a leather blotter, alongside a brass desk tray, or atop a stacked collection of vintage hardback books on an executive desk or study shelving unit.

Dust regularly with a dry, soft microfibre cloth. Avoid abrasive chemical cleansers or liquid polishes on the ebonised wood to protect the dark finish, and wipe the silver-plated section gently to remove fingerprints.

Authentic period pieces exhibit signs of manual craftsmanship, such as hand-chased metal detail, secure pin jointing between handle and blade, and natural surface wear or oxidisation appropriate to age rather than uniform artificial distress.

Historic letter openers were commonly manufactured using dense hardwoods, bone, horn, tortoiseshell, or mother-of-pearl for the blade. Handles were frequently rendered in cast brass, electroplated silver, sterling silver, or carved timber.

During the nineteenth century, the expansion of postal services led to a rise in dedicated writing desk tools. Novelty designs incorporating naturalistic forms, such as reptiles, insects, and animal heads, became popular decorative accessories in Victorian and Edwardian studies.
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