Antique Silver and Bone English Page Turners—A Set of Three

Details

Description

A set of three antique, circa 1817, page turners or paper knifes with a sterling silver mounted ribbed handle and … Read more A set of three antique, circa 1817, page turners or paper knifes with a sterling silver mounted ribbed handle and bone shafts made in England.



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 books. 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. No maker’s mark.

Product Information:
Materials: Wood
Dimensions: 9.25ʺW × 2” D × 0.5” H
Style: Victorian
Condition: Very good condition. Surface wear consistent with age and use. Structurally sound.
Shipping: $50.00 (to continental U.S.)

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