Featured Doggie Letter Opener

Celluloid? Schnauzer/Scottish Terrier?
Was sold to me as being art deco.

 

Amateur guess-Art Deco carved Bakelite ? Nice piece-wiser minds will be here soon.

 

Looks like ivory to me ? It could be 30s.I get an Asian vibe,dont ask me why.

 

Thank you for the replies so far.
Other

can take their time with their replies, as this not so wise mind is going to bed

 

To my eye... Scottie. Most likely celluloid. 1930 Art Deco.

Debora

 

Very similar to this.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/661384349/1930s-celluloid-art-deco-scottie-dog

Debora

 

Dunno about the dog breed...but the material seems to have a crude grain, most visible in the dog, which I'm not familiar with in celluloid. Also, in the first 2 pics at the pointy end, there's a hint of the darkish grain of inner bone. If you have a UV light, that might offer some direction.

 

I've seen that grain in celluloid.

Debora

 

@Marote - If you hold the letter opener to your cheek does it feel warm or cold?
if warm it would likely be celluloid or some other type of plastic. If cold it would likely be bone or ivory.

 

Ditto. The Scottie dog is a classic Art Deco theme.

Celluloid was often used to mimic other materials such as ivory, bone, tortoiseshell.

 

In the early 20th c, there was a fad for items made of "French ivory" which was celluloid that had the colour of ivory and some striations in it to imitate real ivory. And Scottie dogs were a popular design motif possibly up the the 1960s. Seen in jewellery, too.

 

I will try that ...as soon as I find the letter opener I had the photos on my computer, but I can't remember where I left the item

 

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt!!!

I was freaking out yesterday after I sold something & then could not find it in any of the boxes I store my Christmas stuff in out in the garage. I thought for sure I had taken it to the auction house before Christmas when I was selling a bunch of stuff that had been hanging around a little too long.

Luckily I found it lurking in one of the boxes during the second look-through.

 

I didn't find the letter opener yet, but I did buy a new friend for the scottie today

 

ALL of your Scotties are so cute! I saw the heirloom Scotties. I love the Art Deco period artwork.

 

I forgot to say, I would not use it as a functional letter opener. I once broke a celluloid one similar to yours (with a different top of course) by over use.

 

I've learned my lesson with a vintage moustache comb...
'Let's see if works...'
*SNAP*

'Let's see if I can glue the two bits together again ...'
*SNAP*

'I'm an idiot....'

 

Woof.