READING & WRITING ACCESSORIES: A STUDY OF PAPER-KNIVES, PAPER FOLDERS, LETTER OPENERS AND MYTHICAL PAGE TURNERS

New Castle, Delaware: Oak Knoll Press, 2016. paperback. 8.27 x 11.69 inches. paperback. 128 pages. "Spellerberg has become an important new authority on implements designed to do controlled damage to paper. In the process, he's turned what most people thought they knew about these objects, particularly about page turners, on its head."

- Ben Marks, Collector's Weekly



"The book is illustrated with paper-knives and paper-folders of every design... There are cutters in the form of a stockinged leg, a hammer, a cricket bat, a ruler (with postal information, and an alligator."

- J.C, TLS



"As its subtitle notes, this is indeed a study, implying thoughtful, balanced and well considered [writing] rather than a mere price guide or pictorial history... You'd never think such a narrow subject (!) could be so deeply explored, but Spellerberg does so in a lively yet scholarly fashion."

- William Butts, Manuscripts



"Well-researched and eloquently presented... Readers are provided with a dazzling array of visual material that enhances their reading, including photographs and reproductions of century-old advertisements and patents."

- Joshua Evan Chmielewski, SHARP News



First U.S. edition and the first appearance of the index. Never before has there been a detailed account of what was probably the most common item to be found in Victorian libraries and on Victorian writing desks. They were paperknives (paper cutters) and were used to slit open the uncut pages of books, newspapers and magazines. Paper folders are still used today but what is the difference between a paperknife and a paper folder? Letter openers and paper-knives have a different histories and different functions. The term page turner is embedded in the vocabulary of the world of antiques and collectables. It has come as a huge surprise that page turners are a myth. This lavishly illustrated book is both informative and entertaining. It is brimming with new information about reading and writing accessories.



Ian Spellerberg is an established author and editor. He has written many articles on Victoriana for magazines and journals around the world. He is a member of several antique and collectable clubs and societies. On occasions he will be seen in his top hat and frock coat - such is his passion for knowing how it feels to live in the Victorian era. His collections of curious collectables and interactive displays are a firm favourite at antique fairs. With a professional science background, it is not surprising that Ian takes nothing for granted. He rigorously seeks out primary evidence as part of his research into the history and design of antiques and collectables.