Golf Themed Scottish Banded Agate and Gilt-Metal Letter Opener, Circa 1880

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A fine Golf Themed late Victorian Scottish or British banded agate letter opener, also cataloged as a paper knife, formed … Read more A fine Golf Themed late Victorian Scottish or British banded agate letter opener, also cataloged as a paper knife, formed with a polished tapering hardstone blade in richly variegated red, amber, honey, and cream tones. The blade is mounted with an ornate gilt-metal collar and figural trophy crest, giving the object the character of a luxury desk accessory rather than a purely utilitarian implement. The striking coloration and translucent quality of the stone are consistent with the type of banded agate used in 19th-century Scottish hardstone objects.

Research supports cataloging this within the Scottish agate desk-accessory tradition of the late 19th century. A closely related category appears in a Sotheby’s example described as a Scottish gilt-metal and agate letter opener, attributed to Hamilton, Crichton & Co. of Edinburgh, circa 1880; that catalog entry also notes a comparable example formerly associated with Hamilton, Crichton & Co. and references related silver-mounted work in the National Museums Scotland collection.

Measurements: 7.5" L x 1" W. See less