{"id":5322,"date":"2023-06-30T12:53:09","date_gmt":"2023-06-30T11:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/?p=5322"},"modified":"2024-07-26T10:21:10","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T09:21:10","slug":"guide-to-the-letter-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/desk-accessories\/guide-to-the-letter-opener\/","title":{"rendered":"A complete guide to the letter opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Stationery<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s fast-paced digital world, there\u2019s a certain charm and sophistication associated with the sending and receiving of physical mail.<\/p>\n

Opening a letter with a letter opener is an action that echoes times gone by and holds appeal to anyone who occasionally feels overwhelmed by modern life.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s slice into what a letter opener is, its historical significance, and the pros and cons of its use.<\/p>\n

What is a letter opener?<\/h2>\n

A letter opener is a tool for opening envelopes, typically manufactured from wood, metal, or plastic.<\/p>\n

Letter openers<\/a> feature a blade and handle, and the handle is often carved or decorated. Many openers are ornamental and designed to elevate the room they\u2019re displayed in.<\/p>\n

This tool has existed for two centuries and remains a beloved feature of many offices and studies worldwide.<\/p>\n

Technically, letter openers differ from paper knives, as their blades are narrower and pointier.<\/p>\n

The two had different uses in the past, with paper knives specifically used to cut and separate the pages of hand-produced books.<\/p>\n

Over time, however, the terms \u2018letter opener\u2019 and \u2018paper knife\u2019 have come to mean the same object.<\/p>\n

How to use a letter opener<\/h2>\n

Letter openers are incredibly simple to use. Feed the opener into the envelope through the gap at the top on either side, then gently lift the handle upwards.<\/p>\n

The top of the envelope will separate, and the letter inside will be exposed, ready for you to pull out and read.<\/p>\n

The history of the letter opener<\/h2>\n

Letter openers have a rich historical significance that dates back centuries.<\/p>\n

In the early 1800s, books were printed on long reams of uncut paper. While these were bound and cut on one side, missed cuts were commonplace, so the paper knife was invented to solve the problem manually.<\/p>\n

By the mid-1800s, a paper knife was an essential desk accessory.<\/p>\n

The letter opener was an offshoot of the paper knife and became popular around the same time.<\/p>\n

Their popularity boomed with the invention of flat-rate postal services in Europe and the USA. As a result of the postal service change, far more letters were being sent<\/a> and received.<\/p>\n

Antique letter openers are often engraved with the initials<\/a> or name of the original owner, and letter openers owned by dominant figures of the mid to late-1800s are still being unearthed.<\/p>\n

Letter openers of the past are highly collectable and sought-after because they\u2019re small, attractive objects that serve a purpose.<\/p>\n

The art of letter writing<\/a> has declined in popularity with the rise of digitalisation. Still, many of our customers appreciate the written word and keep a letter opener on their writing desks.<\/p>\n

A letter opener used in a speech for freedom<\/h3>\n

On 23 March 1775, American politician Patrick Henry<\/a> declared, “Give me liberty or give me death!” during a speech at the Second Virginia Convention.<\/p>\n

As he made the liberty statement, he plunged an ivory letter opener towards his chest in imitation of a sword.<\/p>\n

Historians believe the speech helped convince those in attendance \u2014 including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson \u2014to prepare Virginia troops for war against Great Britain. It was an historic moment that proves how the humble letter opener held symbolic imagery beyond its intended use.<\/p>\n

A letter opener used in an attempted assassination<\/h3>\n

On 20 September 1958, Martin Luther King Jr. was stabbed<\/a> in the chest with an ivory-handled letter opener during a book signing in Harlem, USA.<\/p>\n

The opener entered King\u2019s chest close to his heart and required a surgical clamp for removal. King survived the attempt on his life.<\/p>\n

The perpetrator was found to be a paranoid schizophrenic in a severe state of insanity and was detained in a hospital for the criminally insane.<\/p>\n

The pros and cons of the letter opener<\/h2>\n

Everything has pros and cons, so let\u2019s weigh them up for the letter opener.<\/p>\n

The advantages of using a letter opener<\/h3>\n

The benefits of using a letter opener are numerous.<\/p>\n

When you use a letter opener:<\/p>\n