Unusual page Turner

[wilhenri]

I have just dug this out of the loft to share with you lot. Its obviously a page turner made of some sort of fruit wood except I think the head is stained ivory. The head is cold to the touch and a hot pin had no effect. The detail in the carving is very good even to the buttons on the back of the coat.the end is simply rounded but I missed it off the photo. I wonder about its origin whether its from the UK or maybe the USA and ofcourse its potential value. It came from a charity shop many years ago so I don't reckon I paid very much for it. Any ideas welcome.

[mart]

Very nicely done isn`t it ??  Just curious but isn`t it a bit bulky for a page turner ??  They usually have very thin fine blades !!

[KC]

Beautiful piece!  What in the world are the dimensions of this piece?

[wilhenri]

Hope this helps it could be a letter opener though the " Blade " is a bit too broad it also may have been cut down but it does not look like it. 14 inches overall in length.

[wilhenri]

Hope this helps the overall length is 14 inches....It is possible that its been cut down but it does not look like it also the blade is too broad for a letter opener. The head is most definitely a harder material and is separately done as it moves a very small amount suggesting it is glued into the body..

[KC]

I have actually seen some with the thicker blades such as yours over the years.  They were for use during the 1800's when it was a status symbol to have a dictionary/dictionary stand in your home.  (Such as one shown below)  We actually have the one passed down through my husband's family over the years like it!

http://www.rubylane.com/item/641715-487/Antique-Victorian-Book-Stand-Dated-1895

[wilhenri]

Now that is a fine quality piece.....

[mart]

That view looks much more correct !!  It looked very thick from the side view !!  I have looked at many page turners but haven`t seen one similar to this one yet !!

[KC]

Would you say that he resembles a Monk?  So this could be for a religious volume or large family bible?

We have the large family bible passed down through the years on our stand.  But the page turner/marker got lost/broken? through the years before it came into our hands.

[wilhenri]

No don't reckon on it being a monk try a close up of the face....