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Thread: Letter Openers

  1. #21
    Senior Member BikerBabe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by OakIris View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by tytoalba View Post
    Thank you Biker Babe for enriching this thread with your history of Jensen!
    I was secretly hoping you might know something and join in... wonderful information.
    +1

    Wow, wonderful information, BikerBabe, more than I was able to find with a quick Google search. Thank you! My mother (and father) did indeed live in New York for a while; my brother was born there in 1950, and I think (why don't I know?!? ) that my mother lived there during WWII as well.

    And, yesterday I said the letter opener was all I had of Georg Jensen's but I have discovered I do in fact have more of his (or at least of his company's) work after all. I started to think about my parents' "good" silverware, which I now have. Lovely stuff, quite art deco in design, and I took a look at it this morning suspecting that it might indeed have been made and designed by the company. Sure enough, "Georg Jensen Silversmith" and "Sterling Denmark" is stamped on all of it. Not the Cactus pattern, but still:

    Attachment 2210

    Whether they got a start on this set as a wedding present or chose and purchased this themselves, I do not know; there is no paperwork in the storage box and though I remember cleaning it and using it while growing up, I never discussed the silverware with my parents. Sorry to go more than a bit off topic, but I am honored to have these lovely things in my possession. I will indeed take good care of all of it.

    I hope you are able to find a letter opener you like and will enjoy using, Barbara. My letter opener was stored in the Gerstner tool chest where I keep all of my pen repair tools, etc., but now I am going to start using it again, even though it will be mostly for mundane things like opening up bills!

    Holly
    Hi again Holly.

    You're welcome, it's always fascinating for me (as a history geek) to find out more about our danish designers and the history of the various items. I like doing detective work, apparently!

    The Georg Jensen pieces that you got is part of the "Pyramide" (Pyramid) dinnerware set, designed by Harald Jensen in 1927.

    HARALD NIELSEN (1892 - 1977)
    Harald Nielsen first aspired to be a painter but as the younger brother of Georg Jensen's third wife, Johanne, he was drawn into the Georg Jensen silversmithy. He started as a chaser's apprentice in 1909 and worked his way up to designer/director of the smithy school of apprentices.
    In 1954, he became the smithy director and in 1958 he became artistic director of the Company, a position he held until 1962.

    He was Jensen's closest colleague and his design style was very similar to Johan Rohde.
    Both eschewed ornamentation in favor of form and line.
    He became the interpreter of Jensen's and Rohde's designs as he turned their rough design sketches, Jensen's often being on paper napkins, into precise drawings that were used by the silversmiths to create the pieces.

    Nielsen's role as head of the apprentice school was particularly important after Jensen died in 1935, since Nielsen insured the continued high quality of the firm's design and output by recruiting talented young silversmiths and designers; and training them according to the Jensen Silversmithy standards.
    Perhaps his most famous recruit was Henning Koppel.
    He was also responsible for the smooth transition from the first generation of Jensen designers, namely Jensen himself and Rohde to the generation which followed.

    Nielsen designed many pieces of jewelry and hollowware, much of which is still in production, and created the Pyramid flatware design.

    And by the way, if you keep this up, I'll end up becoming our resident Georg Jensen expert!

    Cheers,

    Maria.
    Last edited by BikerBabe; May 2nd, 2013 at 12:45 PM.

  2. #22
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by BikerBabe View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by OakIris View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by tytoalba View Post
    Thank you Biker Babe for enriching this thread with your history of Jensen!
    I was secretly hoping you might know something and join in... wonderful information.
    +1

    Wow, wonderful information, BikerBabe, more than I was able to find with a quick Google search. Thank you! My mother (and father) did indeed live in New York for a while; my brother was born there in 1950, and I think (why don't I know?!? ) that my mother lived there during WWII as well.

    And, yesterday I said the letter opener was all I had of Georg Jensen's but I have discovered I do in fact have more of his (or at least of his company's) work after all. I started to think about my parents' "good" silverware, which I now have. Lovely stuff, quite art deco in design, and I took a look at it this morning suspecting that it might indeed have been made and designed by the company. Sure enough, "Georg Jensen Silversmith" and "Sterling Denmark" is stamped on all of it. Not the Cactus pattern, but still:

    Attachment 2210

    Whether they got a start on this set as a wedding present or chose and purchased this themselves, I do not know; there is no paperwork in the storage box and though I remember cleaning it and using it while growing up, I never discussed the silverware with my parents. Sorry to go more than a bit off topic, but I am honored to have these lovely things in my possession. I will indeed take good care of all of it.

    I hope you are able to find a letter opener you like and will enjoy using, Barbara. My letter opener was stored in the Gerstner tool chest where I keep all of my pen repair tools, etc., but now I am going to start using it again, even though it will be mostly for mundane things like opening up bills!

    Holly
    Hi again Holly.

    You're welcome, it's always fascinating for me (as a history geek) to find out more about our danish designers and the history of the various items. I like doing detective work, apparently!

    The Georg Jensen pieces that you got is part of the "Pyramide" (Pyramid) dinnerware set, designed by Harald Jensen in 1927.

    HARALD NIELSEN (1892 - 1977)
    Harald Nielsen first aspired to be a painter but as the younger brother of Georg Jensen's third wife, Johanne, he was drawn into the Georg Jensen silversmithy. He started as a chaser's apprentice in 1909 and worked his way up to designer/director of the smithy school of apprentices.
    In 1954, he became the smithy director and in 1958 he became artistic director of the Company, a position he held until 1962.

    He was Jensen's closest colleague and his design style was very similar to Johan Rohde.
    Both eschewed ornamentation in favor of form and line.
    He became the interpreter of Jensen's and Rohde's designs as he turned their rough design sketches, Jensen's often being on paper napkins, into precise drawings that were used by the silversmiths to create the pieces.

    Nielsen's role as head of the apprentice school was particularly important after Jensen died in 1935, since Nielsen insured the continued high quality of the firm's design and output by recruiting talented young silversmiths and designers; and training them according to the Jensen Silversmithy standards.
    Perhaps his most famous recruit was Henning Koppel.
    He was also responsible for the smooth transition from the first generation of Jensen designers, namely Jensen himself and Rohde to the generation which followed.

    Nielsen designed many pieces of jewelry and hollowware, much of which is still in production, and created the Pyramid flatware design.

    And by the way, if you keep this up, I'll end up becoming our resident Georg Jensen expert!

    Cheers,

    Maria.
    Um, Maria, I think you already Are our resident Jensen expert..
    And thanks : )
    Last edited by dannzeman; May 3rd, 2013 at 10:18 AM.

  3. #23
    Senior Member BikerBabe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by tytoalba View Post
    Um, Maria, I think you already Are our resident Jensen expert..
    And thanks : )
    ...ehhh, okay then.
    You're welcome.
    Last edited by BikerBabe; May 2nd, 2013 at 12:46 PM.

  4. #24
    Senior Member OakIris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by tytoalba View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by BikerBabe View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by OakIris View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by tytoalba View Post
    Thank you Biker Babe for enriching this thread with your history of Jensen!
    I was secretly hoping you might know something and join in... wonderful information.
    +1

    Wow, wonderful information, BikerBabe, more than I was able to find with a quick Google search. Thank you! My mother (and father) did indeed live in New York for a while; my brother was born there in 1950, and I think (why don't I know?!? ) that my mother lived there during WWII as well.

    And, yesterday I said the letter opener was all I had of Georg Jensen's but I have discovered I do in fact have more of his (or at least of his company's) work after all. I started to think about my parents' "good" silverware, which I now have. Lovely stuff, quite art deco in design, and I took a look at it this morning suspecting that it might indeed have been made and designed by the company. Sure enough, "Georg Jensen Silversmith" and "Sterling Denmark" is stamped on all of it. Not the Cactus pattern, but still:

    Attachment 2210

    Whether they got a start on this set as a wedding present or chose and purchased this themselves, I do not know; there is no paperwork in the storage box and though I remember cleaning it and using it while growing up, I never discussed the silverware with my parents. Sorry to go more than a bit off topic, but I am honored to have these lovely things in my possession. I will indeed take good care of all of it.

    I hope you are able to find a letter opener you like and will enjoy using, Barbara. My letter opener was stored in the Gerstner tool chest where I keep all of my pen repair tools, etc., but now I am going to start using it again, even though it will be mostly for mundane things like opening up bills!

    Holly
    Hi again Holly.

    You're welcome, it's always fascinating for me (as a history geek) to find out more about our danish designers and the history of the various items. I like doing detective work, apparently!

    The Georg Jensen pieces that you got is part of the "Pyramide" (Pyramid) dinnerware set, designed by Harald Jensen in 1927.

    HARALD NIELSEN (1892 - 1977)
    Harald Nielsen first aspired to be a painter but as the younger brother of Georg Jensen's third wife, Johanne, he was drawn into the Georg Jensen silversmithy. He started as a chaser's apprentice in 1909 and worked his way up to designer/director of the smithy school of apprentices.
    In 1954, he became the smithy director and in 1958 he became artistic director of the Company, a position he held until 1962.

    He was Jensen's closest colleague and his design style was very similar to Johan Rohde.
    Both eschewed ornamentation in favor of form and line.
    He became the interpreter of Jensen's and Rohde's designs as he turned their rough design sketches, Jensen's often being on paper napkins, into precise drawings that were used by the silversmiths to create the pieces.

    Nielsen's role as head of the apprentice school was particularly important after Jensen died in 1935, since Nielsen insured the continued high quality of the firm's design and output by recruiting talented young silversmiths and designers; and training them according to the Jensen Silversmithy standards.
    Perhaps his most famous recruit was Henning Koppel.
    He was also responsible for the smooth transition from the first generation of Jensen designers, namely Jensen himself and Rohde to the generation which followed.

    Nielsen designed many pieces of jewelry and hollowware, much of which is still in production, and created the Pyramid flatware design.

    And by the way, if you keep this up, I'll end up becoming our resident Georg Jensen expert!

    Cheers,

    Maria.
    Um, Maria, I think you already Are our resident Jensen expert..
    And thanks : )
    Quote Originally Posted by BikerBabe View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by tytoalba View Post
    Um, Maria, I think you already Are our resident Jensen expert..
    And thanks : )
    ...ehhh, okay then.
    You're welcome.
    I must agree with tytoalba - you are the Jensen expert! It was very nice to find out the name of the designer of my silverware pattern, as well as the name of the pattern, and to find out when the design was first introduced by the Georg Jensen company. Now, did they ever make fountain pens? Wish the company had done so; I imagine they would have been unique, beautiful, and great writers.

    @jbb - your agate letter opener is indeed lovely - is that an Iris on the blade? (I know you see what you want to see, but that is what it looks like to me.)

    I do hope that others will post photos of their letter openers, too; we can never have too much eye candy!

    Holly
    Last edited by OakIris; May 3rd, 2013 at 08:12 AM.

  5. #25
    Senior Member jbb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Early 20th century writing sets frequently included a letter opener. Those were the days.... when your dress, hat, gloves, purse and shoes all matched.

    JBBPensPaper an Etsy store

  6. #26
    Senior Member BikerBabe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by OakIris View Post

    I must agree with pen2paper - you are the Jensen expert! It was very nice to find out the name of the designer of my silverware pattern, as well as the name of the pattern, and to find out when the design was first introduced by the Georg Jensen company. Now, did they ever make fountain pens? Wish the company had done so; I imagine they would have been unique, beautiful, and great writers.

    @jbb - your agate letter opener is indeed lovely - is that an Iris on the blade? (I know you see what you want to see, but that is what it looks like to me.)

    I do hope that others will post photos of their letter openers, too; we can never have too much eye candy!

    Holly
    Hi again, Holly. :-)

    Yes, Georg Jensen have made fountain pens too, I googled around a bit and found a few models.

    I found the first at a danish online auction house - one of the biggest here in DK.
    It's a sterling silver fp with bordeaux chinese lacquer.

    http://www.lauritz.com/da/auktion/ge...pen/i2066378/#

    There's a few others on eBay:

    http://stores.ebay.com/Silvergroup-d...?_fsub=6008037

    And this beauty:

    http://www.penexchange.com.tw/en/pro...pe=coll&id=878

    To stay on topic, I managed to find myself a nice letter opener at a thrift shop today.

    DSC_1824.JPG

    I used to use my grandfather's old pocket knife - I love it. It's easy to use, very easy to keep razor sharp (unlike those horrible stainless steel knives you get today), and - well, it used to belong to grandfather.

    DSC_1885.JPG

    And then there's this funny looking thing I bought many years ago. It looks kinda like something you'd get at a souvenir shop, and it probably is, but it works just fine for opening letters:

    DSC_1889.JPG
    Last edited by BikerBabe; April 29th, 2013 at 02:54 PM.

  7. #27
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    jensen made silver fountain pens! jensen on the nibs!

  8. #28
    Senior Member OakIris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by BikerBabe View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by OakIris View Post

    I must agree with pen2paper - you are the Jensen expert! It was very nice to find out the name of the designer of my silverware pattern, as well as the name of the pattern, and to find out when the design was first introduced by the Georg Jensen company. Now, did they ever make fountain pens? Wish the company had done so; I imagine they would have been unique, beautiful, and great writers.

    @jbb - your agate letter opener is indeed lovely - is that an Iris on the blade? (I know you see what you want to see, but that is what it looks like to me.)

    I do hope that others will post photos of their letter openers, too; we can never have too much eye candy!

    Holly
    Hi again, Holly. :-)

    Yes, Georg Jensen have made fountain pens too, I googled around a bit and found a few models.

    I found the first at a danish online auction house - one of the biggest here in DK.
    It's a sterling silver fp with bordeaux chinese lacquer.

    http://www.lauritz.com/da/auktion/ge...pen/i2066378/#

    There's a few others on eBay:

    http://stores.ebay.com/Silvergroup-d...?_fsub=6008037

    And this beauty:

    http://www.penexchange.com.tw/en/pro...pe=coll&id=878

    To stay on topic, I managed to find myself a nice letter opener at a thrift shop today.

    DSC_1824.JPG

    I used to use my grandfather's old pocket knife - I love it. It's easy to use, very easy to keep razor sharp (unlike those horrible stainless steel knives you get today), and - well, it used to belong to grandfather.

    DSC_1885.JPG

    And then there's this funny looking thing I bought many years ago. It looks kinda like something you'd get at a souvenir shop, and it probably is, but it works just fine for opening letters:

    DSC_1889.JPG
    Pretty cool that Georg Jensen made some fountain pens, but these are all relatively modern, aren't they? I was thinking more of vintage pens, like 1930's and 1940's, when I think they would have shown the same strong art deco influence of their other works at that time. None the less, thank you once again for expanding our knowledge of this creative company.

    I really like your letter openers, BikerBabe, especially the one you found at the thrift store - beautiful! And I bet you will continue to use your grandfather's pen knife, too.

    Another nice desk set, Jill - playful and useful!

    Holly

  9. #29
    Senior Member jbb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by OakIris View Post
    @jbb - your agate letter opener is indeed lovely - is that an Iris on the blade? (I know you see what you want to see, but that is what it looks like to me.)
    This is a bit off topic but we were at the park and when I saw this beautiful display of iris under an old oak tree so naturally I had to get you a picture. To make it at least a bit more pen-ish, this park is filled with oak galls for making iron gall ink. You just have to get them down from the trees tops.

    JBBPensPaper an Etsy store

  10. #30
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Here is a link to view some letter openers: both completed sales, and on the market, (no association yadda yadda).
    Jensen, btw, was mentioned in the brief article on openers : )
    The (currently) most watched is a one sided fox, some similarities to my 2 sided rat opener, but not the intricate details.
    Quality varies, and there may be reproductions, but the price of openers seems reasonable. As always, ask questions, and buy only what you truly like.
    http://www.collectorsweekly.com/office/letter-openers
    http://www.collectorsweekly.com/offi...eners/auctions

  11. #31
    Senior Member OakIris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Quote Originally Posted by jbb View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by OakIris View Post
    @jbb - your agate letter opener is indeed lovely - is that an Iris on the blade? (I know you see what you want to see, but that is what it looks like to me.)
    This is a bit off topic but we were at the park and when I saw this beautiful display of iris under an old oak tree so naturally I had to get you a picture. To make it at least a bit more pen-ish, this park is filled with oak galls for making iron gall ink. You just have to get them down from the trees tops.

    What a nice photo! Thanks, Jill! Considering that we went from 80° on Monday to low 50's on Tuesday, more snow on Wednesday and subsequent temps in the teens, it is nice to see that someone is enjoying some real spring weather and spring flowers. I know some of our spring flowers, including those on early flowering fruit trees, have probably been zapped by this weather.

    Here a couple of wooden letter openers I have; the one with the African motif was given to me by my brother back in the 1970's. I have no idea where or when I acquired the one that was obviously hand carved out of a tree branch. They are kind of silly, but they both actually work. I have had them for a long time so apparently they are keepers.

    IMG_0918.JPG

    IMG_0916.JPG

    IMG_0921.JPG

    IMG_0922.JPG

    Holly

  12. #32
    Senior Member Bogon07's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    A Commonwealth of Australia Letter Opener in Stainless Steel.

    LO-1.jpgLO-2.jpg
    sinistral hypergraphica - a slurry of ink
    "Nothing means less than zero"

  13. #33
    Senior Member ndw76's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    SAM_1316.JPG

    This is a letter opener I made for myself using buffalo horn and some brass scraps. Works much better than the pairing knife I used to use.
    Hello, my name is Nathan. Pleased to make your aquaintance.

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  15. #34
    Senior Member OakIris's Avatar
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    Default Re: Letter Openers

    Cool to have a letter opener made for "the state" (country) Bogon.

    And Nathan, that is a very nice letter opener that you made; I like the combination of colors and materials.

    Holly

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