Search 0
12,229  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 0 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
JOIN AS A SELLER DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
GIFTS
LATEST STOCK
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Antiques dealer?
Join as a Seller
Sort Order
Items Per Page
sellingantiques.co.uk
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1241268
FOR SALE
£225
Email Phone Buy
Save
An Outstanding Dutch Silver Owl Letter Opener Engraved 'Benjamin'
For sale by Booth Antiques
for sale €263     $286
£225
Booth Antiques

Booth Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2026
Browse dealers 21 items
  • About Us
    Specialist in antique silver, glass, jewellery and objets de vertu
↓ Relevant Links
Id #SA1241268
PDF SHARE
SAVE

An Outstanding Dutch Silver Owl Letter Opener Engraved 'Benjamin'

1900 - 1920
For Sale by Booth Antiques
Description

A fabulous quality Dutch silver letter opener featuring an owl terminal. This outstanding example is of very heavy gauge silver and the owl is beautifully modelled and detailed. Fully hallmarked, the blade has the name 'Benjamin' engraved to the front. A superb, practical piece and a great gift idea. Dimensions below.

Postage and packing £12.00 UK

£20.00 Europe

£55.00 USA (including 10% tariff)

£28.00 Outside Europe

Condition :- Excellent, with no dents, splits or holes.

Hallmarks :- Clear & readable.

Date :- 1924

Maker :- B W Van Eldik

Height :- 12.5 cm.

Width :- 1.5 cm.

Depth :- 1.5 cm.

Physical Dimensions
Height
12.5cm (4.92")
Width
1.5cm (0.59")
Depth
1.5cm (0.59")
Declaration

Booth Antiques has dated this Silver Owl Letter Opener to the 1920s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1241268
Dealers Internal Reference
B749
Dealers Notes

Payment by BANK TRANSFER (preferred),DEBIT/CREDIT CARD, or PAYPAL. Great care is taken with packing and only 'signed for or tracked' postal options are used, where available. In the UK, Royal Mail Special Delivery is used, which is both fully insured against loss or damage and guaranteed next day (excluding weekends). If an item goes missing, or is damaged in the post, all available assistance will be offered to make a claim against the provider. Loss or damage in transit, is NOT the responsibility of the seller.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE. Due to the imposition by some countries of an import tariff - an additional charge may be required to prepay tax duty. Please be aware of this if purchasing from overseas. If this additional charge is not acceptable, please do not proceed with the purchase.

Returns are accepted if the item has undisclosed damage at point of sale, or has been seriously mis-described. Buyer pays all costs. If you are not certain that you will be completely happy with the item, please do not purchase it. Care has been taken to ensure that items are accurately described and photographed - if any further information is required please ask.

PLEASE CONTACT ME TO PROVIDE CARD DETAILS OR REQUEST BANK DETAILS. PLEASE ADD POSTAGE FOR PAYPAL AND PRESS PAYPAL OPTION. If there is anything more we can do to help, please ask. We would like your experience with us to be a happy one and will always try to be accommodating.

Thank you for your interest.

Description
A fabulous quality Dutch silver letter opener featuring an owl terminal.
“
This outstanding example is of very heavy gauge silver and the owl is beautifully modelled and detailed.
Booth Antiques

Fully hallmarked, the blade has the name 'Benjamin' engraved to the front. A superb, practical piece and a great gift idea. Dimensions below.

fig 1. A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text.
fig 1. An Outstanding Dutch Silver Owl Letter Opener Engraved 'Benjamin'

Postage and packing £12.00 UK

£20.00 Europe

£55.00 USA (including 10% tariff)

£28.00 Outside Europe

Condition :- Excellent, with no dents, splits or holes.

Hallmarks :- Clear & readable.

Date :- 1924

Maker :- B W Van Eldik

Height :- 12.5 cm.

Width :- 1.5 cm.

Depth :- 1.5 cm.

Height
12.5cm (4.92")
Width
1.5cm (0.59")
Depth
1.5cm (0.59")
Date of Manufacture

Booth Antiques has dated this Silver Owl Letter Opener to the 1920s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1241268
Dealers Internal Ref
B749
Booth Antiques
Booth Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2026

Specialist in antique silver, glass, jewellery and objets de vertu

Dealer Profile

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

PDF SHARE
SAVE
A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text.
1 / 6
Archive I A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text.

An Outstanding Dutch Silver Owl Letter Opener Engraved 'Benjamin'

Archive II A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text. View II
Archive III A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text. View III
Archive IV A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text. View IV
Archive V A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text. View V
Archive VI A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text. View VI
Enlarged Archival View
Booth Antiques

Booth Antiques
Telephone 07833 300488
Location
Cambridgeshire
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/boothantiques
Verified Since Oct 2026
Items For Sale 21
Items Sold 1
Booth Antiques
Booth Antiques
Verified Since Oct 2026
View Dealer Info
Location: Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/boothantiques
Verified
Oct 2026
For Sale
21
Sold
1
A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text.
An Outstanding Dutch Silver Owl Letter Opener Engraved 'Benjamin'
Ref: SA1241268
A silver letter opener featuring a finely cast owl handle above a polished blade engraved with script text.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectLetter Openers
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleDutch Silver
  • MaterialSilver
  • ColourSilver
  • MotifsFigural owl handle, Engraved blade, Feather texturing, Cast silver collar
  • SizeH 12.5 cm (5 in) x W 1.5 cm (1 in) x D 1.5 cm (1 in)

This Dutch silver letter opener dates to 1924 and falls within the Dutch Silver style. The piece uses a heavy gauge silver material with a bright, polished finish and a distinct silver colour. A three-dimensional cast owl with detailed feather texturing forms the figural handle terminal, set above a collar with three small stamped dots. Below this, the flat, pointed blade features script engraving of the name 'Benjamin' running vertically down the surface, alongside full readable hallmarks near the hilt. The letter opener measures 12.5 cm high, 1.5 cm wide, and 1.5 cm deep. In a contemporary home, this item sits on an office desk or study table in a gentleman's library setting. It functions as a practical tool for opening correspondence, mail, and packages. Alternatively, it serves as a decorative accessory displayed on a bookshelf, mantelpiece, or reading table alongside books and paperwork.

FAQs

Figural silver letter openers became increasingly popular during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as personal correspondence expanded. Craftsmen designed novelty handles shaped as animals, birds, or mythological figures to transform utilitarian desk implements into decorative status symbols.

Traditional pieces were forged from sterling or continental grade silver, featuring cast or hand-chased hollowware handles soldered onto flat, polished blades. Hand-engraving was frequently applied to blades or collars for personalisation.

Authentic silver items display official assay hallmarks indicating purity, location of manufacture, and maker marks near the collar or blade base. Genuine examples also exhibit precise hand-carving or casting details alongside natural surface wear and tarnish.

A silver letter opener can be styled on an office desk alongside leather blotters, positioned atop a stack of hardcover books, or presented on a decorative brass or marble tray to add texture to a study workspace.

Silver desk items should be wiped gently with a soft microfibre cloth and cleaned periodically using specialized silver polish to remove oxidisation. Avoid harsh abrasive cleaners or submerging the piece in water, especially if the handle is hollow.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Period
Style
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Recently Added
Online Payments
Categories