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ID #SA1244470
FOR SALE
£139
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Early Victorian Silver and Tortoise Shell Paper Knife
For sale by Sturmans Antiques
for sale €163     $177
£139
Sturmans Antiques

Sturmans Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2012
Browse dealers 176 items
  • About Us
    Specialists in antique walnut & oak furniture, upholstered chairs, globes, boxes & tantaluses, clocks & barometers, old moorcroft & silver
  • Trade Associations
    Sturmans Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA 
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Id #SA1244470
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Early Victorian Silver and Tortoise Shell Paper Knife

19th century
Description

An early Victorian solid silver paper knife with engraved decoration and silver inlaid tortoise shell panel to the handle, hallmarked London 1879. The teardrop design handle with an inset panel of tortoise shell, which is inlaid with silver to the front and with a polished silver finish to the back. Complementing floral design mount to the silver blade, which has engraving to match the handle and an acanthus leaf design mount. Bears the makers mark for Edward Gilbert along with clear hallmarks. Presented in excellent condition. Keep up to date via our Instagram channel - sturmansantiques.

Date of Manufacture

Sturmans Antiques has dated this Silver Tortoiseshell Paper Knife to the Victorian era.

Physical Dimensions
Height
22cm (8.66")
Width
3cm (1.18")
Depth
0.5cm (0.20")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1244470
Dealers Internal Reference
Stock number 44359
Dealers Notes

Our terms and conditions for purchases can be found under the 'Buying From Us' tab on our website: www.sturmansantiques.co.uk

MAINLAND UK SHIPPING

We offer a professional fully insured delivery service for larger items. Please contact us with your postcode for a door-to-door delivery quote for a specific item.

For clocks and barometers bought from us, we also offer a setting up service by our trained personnel (local deliveries only).

Smaller items are shipped by Royal Mail Special Delivery, which includes insurance for the item whilst in transit and a guaranteed tracked delivery.

Packing and postage charges for mainland UK are shown for most items on this website. Where an item is large or requires specialist delivery, please contact us with your postcode for a specific door-to-door delivery quote.

EUROPE AND WORLDWIDE

Through our trusted international shippers we will source the most competitive quote for delivery to your door. All items are wrapped and packed by the specialist shippers.

We are happy to make initial arrangements for worldwide shipments on your behalf. However, please note that the shipping payment is made by you the customer directly with the shippers. The shipping contract is therefore between you the customer and the shippers (not Sturmans Antiques). We therefore recommend that customers obtain adequate insurance for each item prior to shipment, to cover them in the event of any loss or damage in transit.

Please be aware that it is the customers responsibility to check with the shipping agent and/or relevant customs office regarding any import duties that may be due.

Description
An early Victorian solid silver paper knife with engraved decoration and silver inlaid tortoise shell panel to the handle, hallmarked London 1879.
“
The teardrop design handle with an inset panel of tortoise shell, which is inlaid with silver to the front and with a polished silver finish to the back.
Sturmans Antiques

Complementing floral design mount to the silver blade, which has engraving to match the handle and an acanthus leaf design mount. Bears the makers mark for Edward Gilbert along with clear hallmarks. Presented in excellent condition. Keep up to date via our Instagram channel - sturmansantiques.

Date of Manufacture

Sturmans Antiques has dated this Silver Tortoiseshell Paper Knife to the Victorian era.

Height
22cm (8.66")
Width
3cm (1.18")
Depth
0.5cm (0.20")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1244470
Dealers Internal Ref
Stock number 44359
Sturmans Antiques
Sturmans Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Sep 2012

Specialists in antique walnut & oak furniture, upholstered chairs, globes, boxes & tantaluses, clocks & barometers, old moorcroft & silver

Dealer Profile

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

Trade Associations

Sturmans Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA 

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An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs.
1 / 7
Archive I An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs.

Early Victorian Silver and Tortoise Shell Paper Knife

Archive II An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs. View II
Archive III An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs. View III
Archive IV An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs. View IV
Archive V An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs. View V
Archive VI An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs. View VI
Archive VII An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs. View VII
Enlarged Archival View
Sturmans Antiques

Sturmans Antiques
Telephone 01969 667742 or 07572 889651
Location
Sturmans Antiques Ltd
Main Street
Hawes
North Yorkshire
DL8 3QW
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/sturmansantiques
Verified Since Sep 2012
Items For Sale 176
Items Sold 10,985
Sturmans Antiques
Sturmans Antiques
Verified Since Sep 2012
View Dealer Info
Location: Sturmans Antiques Ltd, Main Street, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3QW, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/sturmansantiques
Verified
Sep 2012
For Sale
176
Sold
10,985
An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs.
Early Victorian Silver and Tortoise Shell Paper Knife
Ref: SA1244470
An early Victorian silver paper knife featuring an engraved floral blade and a dark tortoiseshell handle inlaid with silver motifs.
Detail View 1
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Detail View 3
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDesk Accessories
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialSilver, Tortoiseshell
  • ColourSilver, Dark Brown
  • MotifsFloral engraving, Silver inlay, Tapered handle, Scrollwork
  • SizeH 22 cm (9 in) x W 3 cm (1 in) x D 0.5 cm (0 in)

This early Victorian solid silver paper knife functions as a desk accessory, styled for a gentleman's library and suitable for an office desk. The piece measures 22 cm high, 3 cm wide, and 0.5 cm deep. The construction combines silver with dark brown tortoiseshell, creating a contrasting palette of silver and dark brown. The handle incorporates a teardrop shape with a polished silver finish to the back and an inset panel of tortoise shell on the front. This shell panel displays silver inlay depicting flower motifs arranged along a central stem, matching the floral engraving on the blade. A mount featuring an acanthus leaf design joins the handle to the blade, while a matching floral design mount decorates the blade itself. Usage involves placing this item on an office desk for opening letters and documents. The materials present a combination of reflective metallic surfaces and mottled organic shell. Detailed engraving covers the surface of the silver blade, while the tortoiseshell section holds precise silver metal inlays. Hallmarks are struck into the metal elements, identifying the London assay office for the year 1879 along with the maker's mark for Edward Gilbert. The entire assembly remains preserved without visible damage or repair.

FAQs

In the nineteenth century, books were printed with folded signatures that required uncut edges to be slit open by the reader. Paper knives were designed with unsharpened blades specifically for this task, as well as for opening hand-sealed correspondence on formal writing desks.

Victorian desk accessories were frequently crafted from sterling silver, silver plate, mother-of-pearl, bone, ivory, and natural tortoiseshell. Handles often featured decorative techniques such as pique work, engraving, or cast metal mounts.

Authentic nineteenth-century pieces usually bear official silver hallmarks or makers marks on the blade or collar. Natural tortoiseshell exhibits organic variation in color and translucency when held to light, alongside hand-fitted joinery between the metal and shell components.

Place the paper knife atop a leather desk blotter, beside a vintage inkstand, or displayed flat on a curated bookshelf vignette. It functions well as a textured accent piece in traditional study spaces, home offices, or hallway console displays.

Clean the silver blade with a soft silver polishing cloth, taking care not to allow chemical polishes to touch the shell. Store tortoiseshell away from direct heat sources and sunlight to prevent drying or cracking, and dust gently with a dry microfibre cloth.
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