Ball, Black & Co. Sterling Silver Medallion Letter Opener Featuring Mars, C 1862

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Ball, Black & Co. Sterling Silver Medallion Letter Opener Featuring Mars, Circa 1862, 43 Grams

A rare and refined example … Read more Ball, Black & Co. Sterling Silver Medallion Letter Opener Featuring Mars, Circa 1862, 43 Grams

A rare and refined example of American Civil War-era design, this sterling silver letter opener by Ball, Black & Co. of New York dates to the 1860s and features a classical profile of Mars, the Roman god of war, framed in the firm’s celebrated Medallion motif. Cast in high relief, the helmeted male bust—bare-chested and stern—embodies the neoclassical fascination with antiquity and valor that defined mid-19th-century American decorative arts.

The front of the handle displays the portrait medallion with a radiating ground, flanked by scrolled volutes and a floret detail at the mid-shaft. The reverse is engraved “E.R.C. from C.L.S.,” suggesting it was given as a meaningful gift—possibly to commemorate service or scholarship. Marked “Ball, Black & Co. Sterling” with a clear “Patent 1862” stamp, the piece predates the firm's transition into what would later become Black, Starr & Frost.

Measuring approximately 6.75 inches in length, this letter opener balances historical depth with elegant form and remains fully functional for contemporary use. See less