Information

Letter Openers

What do you use to open your mail art? A 19th century engraved letter opener with a carved inlaid alabaster handle? A dull table knife? An overly excited yet always regretful rip with your hands? Your teeth? Join this group and show IUOMA what you use. (Please join if you use your teeth. I couldn't even find a picture of someone doing that on the internet. I may have subconsciously started this group just because I want to see that.)

Members: 21
Latest Activity: on Wednesday

If you spring for the bling: A House of Faberge Letter Opener. 25cm, 2400 USD.

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Letter Openers to add comments!

Comment by Eduardo Cardoso on March 19, 2023 at 1:12pm

Posting again because my other comment, together with the image, mysteriously vanished.

Comment by Hélène LAGACHE on March 19, 2023 at 9:26am

@ Adam

That was very impressive!

:-)

Comment by Mail Art Martha on March 19, 2023 at 7:22am

First of all, Mark, I congratulate you for being a considerate correspondent and leaving a small gap to insert a letter opener. Lots of people do not, even sealing the envelope completely with tape.

I am terrified to cut the content when I need to use scissors.

My technique is different from that of Ilya; I cut a tiny bit of a corner to be able to insert the letter opener and pray to Mercury. (Surely he is the god of Mail Art?)

I shall be back with photos.

Comment by Adam Blackshaw AKA CtlAltDel on March 19, 2023 at 4:54am

I bought this in Udaipur, India

Comment by Coco Muchmore on March 18, 2023 at 9:52pm

I don't know where this one came from. It's been in my desk forever and I use it daily. I ordered a couple similar ones for the studio. I also use an exacto knife or scissors occasionally. 

Comment by Mark Johnson on March 18, 2023 at 9:16pm

Ilya, your scissors have a fascinating history.

That is a stunning emerald green, Maxima.

Comment by Maxima Strange on March 18, 2023 at 8:45pm

My most used letter opener. Goodwill find a few years ago. 

Comment by Ilya Semenenko-Basin on March 18, 2023 at 7:55pm

@Carien van Hest 

Hello, Carien.

You're quite right; there are small workshops in Moscow that sharpen knives and scissors, and they are usually run by Armenians. I sharpen my scissors there, including some very old ones, from the end of the 19th century. Old scissors are high quality steel, that's the point.

Comment by Mark Johnson on March 18, 2023 at 5:52pm

I find all these responses much more intimate than I anticipated now that I see these implements and imagine them in use.

I try to make most of the envelopes I send accommodate letter openers by not gluing and leaving an opening at the top on both sides of the back (for both right and left handed recipients).

Comment by Carien van Hest on March 18, 2023 at 2:51pm

Your scissors still look very sharp, Ilya. Do you sharpen them, now and then?

 

Members (21)

 
 
 

Support

Want to support the IUOMA with a financial gift via PayPal?

The money will be used to keep the IUOMA-platform alive. Current donations keep platform online till 1-feb-2024. If you want to donate to get IUOMA-publications into archives and museums please mention this with your donation. It will then be used to send some hardcopy books into museums and archives. You can order books yourself too at the IUOMA-Bookshop. That will sponsor the IUOMA as well.

Bewaren

Bewaren

Bewaren

Bewaren

Bewaren

Bewaren

Bewaren

Bewaren

Bewaren

© 2023   Created by Ruud Janssen.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service