Antique Horn Letter Opener with Hoof Shaped Handle fitted with a Stanhope with Six Views of Great Yarmouth

Here on offer is an antique horn letter opener with a hoof shaped handle, that is fitted with a stanhope with six views of Great Yarmouth.

Set into the top of the hoof is a tiny Stanhope viewer — an ingenious Victorian optical novelty that contains a miniature lens with a microphotograph inside.

When held up to the light and viewed close to the eye, it reveals 6 images of Great Yarmouth, with a title reading “Souvenir of Great Yarmouth.”

The images are:

Britannia Pier, From Wellington Pier, Nelsons Pillar, St Nicholas, Britannia Terrace and Market Place.

At the bottom it states, Made in France.


These images are only a few millimetres across but perfectly legible, a marvel of 19th-century optical engineering.

Stanhopes were a great Victorian invention — small microphotographs set behind a magnifying lens and built into souvenirs, pens, rosaries, and walking sticks. They captured the imagination of tourists and collectors alike, offering a glimpse of faraway places at a time when photography itself was still new. Niagara Falls was one of the most popular destinations of the age, attracting travellers from Europe and America, and souvenirs like this were prized mementoes of the journey.

The horse hoof shaped handle is made from a section of lightly patterned horn. There is an ivory coloured horse shoe that is pinned in place with six dome shaped nails.

The blade is also made from lightly patterned horn and is pinned to the handle with a horn pin.

The blade has a natural curve as shown in my last photo and the tip has a slightly nibbled top edge.
The letter opener measures 8.25” (21cm) long and weighs 20g.

Please see my pictures for the details of the condition, which complement this description.

Please see my TERMS OF BUSINESS regarding Deliver Charges and Insurance regarding additional insurance cover, should you require it, BEFORE the item is dispatched.

The responsibility lies with the customer to check with your Customs restrictions that this item can be imported into your country.

Code: 52143