Featured Celluloid/silver stag letter opener ID?

I really have nothing to add in helping to ID the maker/country of origin. I have searched through Tardy with no luck on the 875 mark. Tardy has Latvia, Estonia, and Finland using 875. I thought there were more countries that used 875. As to whether a hand and tower or V and A, I'm not sure even after editing the pics. Tardy has several countries that used hands in one form or another at one time in their history such as France, Belgium, Romania, Malta, & Germany. At the moment this mark really doesn't look like a hand on zooming in, but still not sure. Maybe Cheryl will drop by for a looksee. Am including edited image versions.

--- Susan

 

Also Switzerland, Romania, and Russia, I think (?)

 

Thanks everyone for the info! I'll take more photos of the hallmarks this week and try the trick of taking photos through a loupe to magnify it better. The blob does have a line through it so it is very confusing; hand, head, animal, glove, it's got no detail we'd like to see that can distinguish it like a crown or face but with more photos maybe we can solve this!

To answer everyone's questions in one post to avoid spam

- it is indeed celluloid. It's very light, has the parallel darker lines (no crosshatching/Shaeger), has pits/nicks, isn't polished or smooth like glass. I own an antique piano with ivory keys, page turners, figurines, Oni, & jewellery (all inherited from grandparents who used to travel India, China, etc in the 50s) to compare it to.

- The monogram & the date on the reverse is yes, carved, and the ink has been added in deep, it's not a rush surface job.

- Unfortunately a previous owner had left a sticker on the blade, and upon removal, it's left a bad sticky residue that hot water won't even affect. What do you guys recommend?

- I bought this in Australia (Aussie here) so that trans-pacific flight date is very interesting! Coincidence?

 

Tiny bit of alcohol on cotton wool, wash it of with some water immediately after cleaning.

Good thing I paid attention in Aussie history class (Sydney, a lifetime ago), though I had to check the exact date to be sure.
With some stretch of the imagination I can read C E K S in the monogram, starting bottom left. Charles Edward Kingsford Smith. Does anyone read the same, or is it just wishful thinking.

 

I see the C and the E and maybe a K. I don't see the S and I'm still seeing a J up at the top left. This is worse than those puzzles that ask you how many squares you see in a box full of squares.

 

Hi,
There are products for cleaning off sticker residue BUT they can cause worse problems. I use either cooking oil or peanut butter.
greg

 

I use cooking oil & peanut butter too....but that's when I'm making my Chinese Chicken Surprise !!

 

Peanut butter also works for getting chewing gum out of hair.

 

I was told eucalyptus oil would work too, so I'll be very careful!

Here's the extra photos of the hallmarks, the monograms, and a (altered in photoshop) close up of the celluloid's markings.

 

I've been led to believe that those faint parallel lines seen in the first two photos are proof of cellulose. Not sure how absolute that is!

 

What are the symbols left of the 875 marking?

 

That's what we have been trying to figure out - without much success.

 

900 silver. So not sterling. And definitely not ivory. Celluloid and 900 silver is what this is. And a paper-knife/letter-opener for sure. Cute doggy!

 

In that case, it is worth taking a much clearer picture of just that symbol...

 

well ya...cuz we're all about learning here.....so any extra effort is welcomed !

 

It's impossible, that's how indistinct and blobby the hallmark is, it's essentially an oval cut vaguely in half, no detail impression to suggest a face/head or animal.

I've taken innumerable photos and stuck to the best ones.

 

Think I got the mark. From a German silver book, 875 silver, Latvia, ca. 1920 - ca. 1939: