Hi All HELP needed with Brass letter opener

Hi All
I am new year and need some help with a letter opener I have recently purchased.

I don't know anything about it and wondered if anyone knows what the symbol engraved on it is/means?

TIA

 

Hi antiques89!

I can't help, but welcome to Antiquers.............

Others will come along to offer their knowledge.

 

Welcome antiques.
It looks like a paper knife to me. I don't see an engraving, but maybe you mean the design on the handle? That is just a decorative design, imo.

 

Is that person's head on the top or just a random design that appears as such? Probably a design, but my brain can't stop my eyes from seeing the face. Albeit, an odd looking, nose-less fellow:

 

We have had a number of paper knives recently. Here in the mid west almost all of those would simply be called letter openers at any auction. I am thinking that most here in the mid west truly are letter openers because the Mid west really was not settled until early more like mid 1800's when my Great great grandmother came here. Few people had books and there were not as many publishers as on the coasts . By the time the books made it to the mid west they probably were already cut. I have found a few uncut books at sales and my fair share of books that have obviously been cut but nothing like we found when living over seas nd traveling through Europe. I will look at letter openers a little more carefully. I have had many page turners but some of those turned out to be pill pushers for counting out pills.
" Letter openers "evolved" from paper knives into longer, blunter blades for the sole purpose of opening envelopes.

 

Yes the design on the handle I mean?
Here is a closer picture, looks like 2 birds and a buddha on the top but I'm not sure?

 

Yes its a head, almost looks like a buddha. I think he may have had a nose once but as its quite old in time has worn off

 

Okay, then! Thanks for the follow-up

 

Thanks. It is a very stylised design, but it could be called floral, with a head finial. The head is not a Buddha head.

 

ok thank you for your help

 

When i first saw it, I saw a knight with his shield and/or sword in front of him .

 

So did I. But I imagined it was what would be atop a tomb.

 

Can anyone else see the 2 bird/dinosaur heads back to back just below the top head?