Antique Sterling Silver Mounted Faux Tortoiseshell Page Turners

Details

Description

An antique, circa 1892, page turner or paper knife with a sterling silver mounted ribbed handle and faux tortoiseshell shaft … Read more An antique, circa 1892, page turner or paper knife with a sterling silver mounted ribbed handle and faux tortoiseshell shaft made in Birmingham England with English sterling hallmarks. Weight: 4.045 gross troy ounce.

The term “page turner” is a historical misnomer. Before the 19th century, books were sold unbound. Printers printed text on large sheets of paper that were then folded into groups of leaves (or pages) called quires or signatures. Buyers would then hire a professional bookbinder to stitch the signatures together and bind them with a custom cover into book. Afterwards, the reader would use a paper knife to separate (i.e., tear) the folded signatures into individual pages. The paper knife evolved from a hand tool used in bookbinding called a bone folder, which was made of animal bones (and, in more recent history, plastic) and used to make sharp creases and folds on paper.

Product Information:
Materials: Silver, Faux Tortoiseshell
Dimensions: 13.75ʺ W × 1.5ʺ D × 0.5ʺ H
Style: Victorian
Condition: Very good condition. Surface wear consistent with age and use. Structurally sound.
Shipping: $100.00 (to continental U.S.)

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