John Jenkins' Marvelous 1891 Carved Box with Reclining Nude adlai Much more fun to wield

Much more fun to wield a play sword than a carved letter opener

This marvelous thing is an antique "sandpaper painting"--a technique popular in the mid 19th century

My favorite thing about this carved letter opener are the very finely done tiny ears

and is definitely the best

which also shows a few beautiful veins on the back of the figure

John Jenkins' Marvelous 1891 Carved Box with Reclining Nude adlai Much more fun to wieldLove, love, love this one, loaded with wonderful details such as not one but two pillows for our Venus (of sorts) to recline upon, though she still does look a bit uncomfortable! Heart, diamond, club and spade too, plus a funny little dome to fill an empty corner, then deeply carved flowers and stems across the top, more ornament on the sides, and the name of its proud maker John Jenkins in capital letters across the back with the year framed in