Silver letter opener.

Well if the shop is anything to go by I would feel reassured, there looks to be some very nice items in there.

 

I have left local Antique shop with the feeling that it is Ivory. Guy wasn't 100% sure about the silver purity of the handle.
He said that if it is in fact Silver and French it would be "800" and not "925".

 

It was last shop I visited and on the last day. From the front he has only paintings but I have noticed small glass locker in the corner so went to look what he has there and found this blade and liquor cups.

I have spent a day in Paris roaming Saint - Ouen district and bought nothing
Well, nearly bought a small urn on the marble base for 100E.
Everyone tells you that all their items are 19th century. Doesn't mutter what I had in my hands it was 19th century. That has put me off from buying anything in Paris.

 

I'm not laughing.....Honestly
I think I've gone through my "Is it Ivory" repertoire, I don't think its plastic from what you are describing, Plastic would have a more dull sound than Ivory does.....I'm finding that its really hard to describe a sound lol.

 

Tell me something about describing things in foreign language

It is clickier than plastic but not the same sound like coffee mug.

In all honesty I'm not too bothered, just curious.
Lost more in my life than 80E lol.

 

Also Ivory will have little characteristics, It won't be perfectly even, If you look under magnification you might find little marks, Plastic is usually perfectly smooth and even.

 

If it sounds clicky then I'm sure its fine, Its how I tell Ivory initially, At a fair you haven't many options for testing.

I know where you are coming from though, Its nice to know that what you bought is what you were told.
It all adds to the knowledge too.

 

Ivory is easy to tell from plastic, once you've seen enough of both of them.

Just remember: Plastic is PERFECT. Ivory isn't. That should always be your starting point.

And I see no reason why your knife shouldn't be an antique original. Loads of things were mass produced. I have a sterling silver card case at home from 1904. There's another one online which is EXACTLY the same (right down to the hallmarks), except that the marks were struck in 1905.

 

:/
Blade looks and feels absolutely smooth

 

There is a small damage to the blade.
This photo is made by microscope.

 

Those last two photos certainly remind me of Ivory I have examined under a magnifying light, I have seen that tooth like white glow with Ivory pieces.

 

REAL ivory will NEVER be 100% smooth, or 100% perfect. This is because it's a natural product.

Here's some ivory from my own collection. You can see the blemishes and the marks on the handle of the knife:



Here's more ivory. You can see the colour variation from sheet to sheet:



You can also see the lines and the striations.

Plastic wouldn't have all this, because plastic is manmade and meant to be perfect. Ivory changes constantly from animal to animal.

 

I was trying to make photos with mobile phone camera but it's impossible to take good macro with mobile.
Would you like me to take some other photos ?

Thank you very much for your help

 

Yes, Take some more, It all helps.

 

These are the only discolorations I can see.

 

I would stick my neck out and say thats Ivory.