Featured Letter opener, agate and silver

Unmarked, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was silver, although maybe plated. My guess is that it's older, but what do you think? Was on a table a few hours into an estate sale with other items, they wanted $10... I thought, I'm getting that.


From the back:

 

Are you sure the stone is agate? It looks like amber, and the style of the setting is made a lot in Poland. They love that Art Nouveau style and are still making beautiful items in the AN style.

 

Would that be considered either egg yolk or butter scotch amber?

Debora

 

Neither, because it is a mix of colours. That happens sometimes, nature at work. Some people prefer this cloudy look.

Just to be sure Lucille, does it feel warmish to the touch?
And did you check for silver marks? Polish are excellent silver markers.

 

No marks.

I'm not good at ID-ing stones, but had a friend who is a pretty serious rock collector over and I showed him this and he sort of shrugged, and said, "some kind of agate". But who knows if he even considered amber.

Stone is a bit warm to the touch.

I just think it is the most beautiful thing. My sense is that it is older because it just has some construction quality I associate with older, but I don't honestly know. I actually got it for myself (holding on to it for at least a bit -- when I REALLY like something I can't sell it for a while.)

I'd use it to open letters, but honestly almost all letters anymore are bills! Would be more fun to open a personal letter with this. Not a bill.

 

send me your address , I'll send you a letter !

It's got a great look !!!

 

Worth shining a UV light on it too.

Polish silversmiths are excellent craftspeople. If the stone is amber, my bet is on Poland.

This beauty will soften the blow.

 

Could this be a mark Lucille?

 

Thanks, Houseful. I *think* just kind of depression in the metal. I studied it with strong loop, sort of looked like a mountain range when held sideways but didn't have any crispness, so thinking not a mark. Good eye though! I'll maybe take a photo just to be sure.

 

I'll try to find a black light and report back. I do like how the design complements the stone or amber.

 

Done. If you send a letter, I promise to use the letter opener!

 

It looks very 1970s Art Nouveau revival to me. Does moss agate come in yellow?

 

Agree with AJ that it looks more like amber (scrambled egg?) than anything in the quartz family, like agate or jasper.

 

I’m with Polish Amber on that one, I’ve seen similar.

 

we'll need photo proof of that.....
not that I don't trust you......

 

Gotta say, I thought Polish silver and amber before even scrolling down - I started seeing similar designs here in the US in the 1990s, any similar pieces I've run across with datable marks were mid 20th century or later. Here's a pricey new piece of similar construction:
https://www.tsc.ca/Amber-Extraordin...tter-Opener/pages/productdetails?nav=R:226875

 

I better send the letter fast , before she cleans it and has a good sale !!!

 

Wow, thanks Cheryl. That link is a dead ringer. Is my piece near new do you think? It looks so similar!

(Would love that price, but can't imagine it being anything near that.)

Don't worry. I'll wait!

 

I bet you’d get 150-200 pretty easily. More not out of the question. Letter openers sell very well. Desk items have a strong collector base in general. I collect letter openers, personally I’d have a hard time letting go. It’s got everything going for it: letter opener, Amber, art nouveau, possibly silver, dagger like form so knife people might also enjoy it. I’d have grabbed that faster than a greased pig.

 

Couldn't really say its age other than these Polish Art Nouveau inspired designs seem to date no earlier than the 1960s-70s. Would expect to see marks of some kind - they can be tiny, perhaps at right on the back of the guard?

There are several Polish silver and amber letter openers on eBay, but few sold...

~Cheryl