Best Antique Letter Openers of 2025

Rebecca Cantu Avatar
Rebecca Cantu
Last Updated: Jan 8, 2025

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Antique letter openers are a unique and elegant way to add a touch of history to any desk or office space. These beautiful and functional items come in a variety of styles and materials, from ornate silver and gold designs to simpler, more rustic options made from wood or bone. Many antique letter openers feature intricate detailing and engravings, making them not only useful but also highly collectible. With their timeless beauty and practicality, antique letter openers are a must-have for any lover of vintage and antique décor.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Schooner Bay Co. Brass Horse Head Letter Opener Cover #TOP 1
Schooner Bay Co. Brass Horse Head Letter Opener
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Wicks Forge Letter Opener Cast Iron Knife Cover #TOP 2
Wicks Forge Letter Opener Cast Iron Knife
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Schooner Bay Co. Fox Head Letter Opener Cover #TOP 3
Schooner Bay Co. Fox Head Letter Opener
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Antique Letter Openers

#TOP 1

Schooner Bay Co. Brass Horse Head Letter Opener

Schooner Bay Co.
Brass
6-1/4"
Schooner Bay Co. Brass Horse Head Letter Opener Cover
Schooner Bay Co. 6-1/4" Solid Polished Brass Horse Head Letter Opener, Antique Reproduction

Schooner Bay Brass Letter Opener is a 6-1/4" letter opener with a realistic horse head handle made of solid, polished brass. This unique piece is a perfect gift for animal lovers, conservationists, or equestrian enthusiasts. Crafted in India, this letter opener not only adds a touch of elegance to your desk but also provides a convenient way to open your mail. The solid brass construction ensures durability, while the intricate horse head design adds a touch of sophistication to your workspace.

What We Like
Durable Solid Brass
Unique Horse Head Design
Great Gift Idea
#TOP 2

Wicks Forge Letter Opener Cast Iron Knife

Wicks Forge
1001
Wicks Forge Letter Opener Cast Iron Knife Cover
Wicks Forge Letter Opener Cast Iron Knife | Luxury, Rustic & Antique Style Desk Accessory for Cutting Open Paper Envelopes & Packages | Made in USA | by Wicks Forge | Leaf

Introducing the Wicks Forge Cast Iron Knife, a high-quality and all-purpose letter opener that brings a touch of luxury and rustic charm to your desk. Crafted with exceptional craftsmanship using traditional blacksmith techniques, each letter opener is meticulously made to last a lifetime. With its pointed tip and sharp bladed edge, you can effortlessly slice through sealed mail and packages with razor precision. The unique design, featuring a fun spiral end, adds a touch of elegance to this 8" long accessory. Made in America by the Wicks Forge, a third-generation family business, this letter opener is backed by a lifetime warranty, ensuring your satisfaction for years to come.

What We Like
High-quality craftsmanship
All-purpose functionality
Unique and elegant design

Schooner Bay Co. Fox Head Letter Opener

Schooner Bay Co.
Brass
6-1/4"
Schooner Bay Co. Fox Head Letter Opener Cover
Schooner Bay Co. 6-1/4" Solid Polished Brass Fox Head Letter Opener, Antique Reproduction

Schooner Bay Fox Letter Opener is a 6-1/4" solid brass letter opener featuring a realistic fox head handle. This unique piece is a perfect gift for animal lovers, conservationists, or fox & hound enthusiasts. Crafted in India, this letter opener adds a touch of elegance to your desk. The solid brass construction ensures durability, while the fox head handle adds a touch of sophistication to your office accessories. Opening letters with this stylish piece brings a sense of charm to your daily tasks.

What We Like
Durable solid brass
Realistic fox head handle
Unique gift idea
#TOP 4

Evenchae Classic Embossed Letter Opener

Evenchae
9001
Antique Gold
7.25 L
Evenchae Classic Embossed Letter Opener Cover
Evenchae Classic Embossed Letter Opener - Antique Gold - Gift Box - 7.25 in

The Evenchae Letter Opener is a stylish and practical accessory for your workspace. With a double-sided embossed handle in antique gold, this opener is elegant and timeless, adding a vintage touch to your desk. It comes in a gift-ready signature box, making it perfect for any occasion. Not just a decorative piece, it provides a safe and easy way to open envelopes, ensuring convenience in your daily tasks.

What We Like
Giftable in signature box
Elegant antique gold finish
Practical for opening envelopes
#TOP 5

Zerodis Antique Style Letter Opener

Zerodis
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Zerodis Antique Style Letter Opener Cover
Letter Openers,Luxury Rustic Antique Style Envelope Slitter Cast Iron Knife with Ergonomic Grip Handle for Cutting Open Paper Envelopes Packages(Style 6) letter opener

The Zerodis Letter Opener combines retro elegance with practicality. Its beautifully designed patterns and unique shape enhance any workspace, making it a stylish accessory for both home and office. Crafted from durable zinc alloy, this opener promises longevity, ensuring it won’t easily break with regular use. Lightweight and compact, you can take it wherever you go, making it convenient for opening envelopes on the spot. Plus, its design allows for easy insertion into envelopes without damaging the contents, meeting your daily needs effortlessly.

What We Like
Elegant retro design
Durable zinc alloy material
Lightweight and portable
Safe for envelope contents
#TOP 6

Nostalgic Impressions Letter Opener - Silver

Nostalgic Impressions Letter Opener - Silver Cover
Nostalgic Impressions Decorative Letter Opener Paper Cutting Knife Premium Antiqued Metal for Envelopes with Vintage Detail 7” Long

The Nostalgic Impressions Letter Opener - Silver is a classic vintage-style desk accessory designed to speed up the opening of mail. It has an elegant look with solid weight and feel, and comes in a 7-inch length. The product is gift-boxed, making it perfect for gifting to your loved ones.

What We Like
Classic vintage-style design
Solid weight and feel
Comes in an elegant gift box
#TOP 7

Vintage Metal Letter Opener Pack of 3 with Gift Box

Bronze,silver,gold
Vintage Metal Letter Opener Pack of 3 with Gift Box Cover
Vintage Metal Letter Opener Antique Pack of 3 Envelope Slitter with Gift Box Ancient Tree Shaped Mail Opener for Office Mail Supplies

This set of vintage metal letter openers is perfect for your home or office. With a humanized handle, the ergonomic design allows for comfortable use and a clean cut every time. Made to last, these letter openers are made of durable metal that is lightweight, smooth and rust-proof. The set comes with three letter openers in different colors and a gift box, making it an ideal gift for friends, family or colleagues. These letter openers have wide applications and can be used for envelopes, express delivery and more.

What We Like
Ergonomic handle for comfortable use
Durable metal for long-term use
Comes in a set of three with gift box
#TOP 8

Treasure Gurus Antique Style Letter Opener

TG,LLC
LO-FLEUR
Treasure Gurus Antique Style Letter Opener Cover
Treasure Gurus New Antique Style Fleur De Lis Letter Opener Heavy Envelope Knife Desk Accessory

The Treasure Gurus Antique Style Letter Opener is a heavy nickel silver Fleur De Lis envelope knife that measures 8 1/2" long by 2" wide and 1/2" thick, making it the perfect desk accessory. Its longer handle is designed to prevent paper cuts and it can add a touch of French Country decor to your home office or office desk. This letter opener comes with 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed.

What We Like
Heavy nickel silver Fleur De Lis for durability
Longer handle to avoid paper cuts
Can add a touch of French Country decor to your desk
#TOP 9

Nacreh Decorative Envelope Opener

YK-LO
Longevity
Nacreh Decorative Envelope Opener Cover
Decorative Envelope Paper Letter Opener with Mother of Pearl Antique Design Silver Steel Office Knife Hand Cutter Blade (Longevity)

The Nacreh Envelope Opener features an elegant inlay mother of pearl design, making it a beautiful addition to your desk. This office knife is perfect for neatly cutting open letters and envelopes with ease. Its 6.3" length provides a comfortable grip for effortless opening. The silver steel blade ensures durability for long-term use. Add a touch of sophistication to your workspace with the Nacreh Envelope Opener.

What We Like
Mother of Pearl Design
Effortless Envelope Opening
Durable Steel Blade
#TOP 10

Ruksifg Antique Metal Letter Opener Envelope Slitter

letter opener-01
Bronze
Ruksifg Antique Metal Letter Opener Envelope Slitter Cover
Ruksifg Antique Metal Letter Opener Envelope Slitter,Bronze Ancient Egypt Pharaoh Envelope Opener Knife Mail Opener with Gift Box(1 Pack)

Ruksifg Letter Opener is a decorative knife made of sturdy zinc alloy with an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh design. The 16cm long opener is safe and easy to use, ensuring it won't damage envelopes or harm your hands. The unique totem shape adds a classical touch to your desk, while the overall bronze color gives it an elegant look. Packaged in a black box, this opener is not only functional but also a stylish addition to your workspace.

What We Like
Sturdy Zinc Alloy
Ancient Egyptian Design
Safe and Easy to Use
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who invented letter openers?

Russell Hawes of Worcester, Mass. patented an improved version of an envelope folding machine that enabled three girl employees to make 25,000 finished envelopes in a ten hour work day, according to “An Early History of the Envelope” by the u.s. Envelope Company.

2. What are letter openers called?

The terms paper knife and letter opener are often used interchangeably to refer to a knife-like desktop tool.

3. Should a letter opener be sharp?

There really aren't any rules about how sharp a letter opener should be. The P.P. has said that dull helps it not be considered a knife.

4. DO letter openers get dull?

Letter openers are generally made of wood, metal and plastic or a combination of the three materials. With constant use the cutting blade will become blunt and will require replacing or sharpening.

Editor's Notes

During our antique letter opener research, we found 24 antique letter opener products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 5,154 customer reviews through our big data system to write the antique letter openers list. We found that most customers choose antique letter openers with an average price of $14.13.

The antique letter openers are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of antique letter openers, including Schooner Bay Co., Wicks Forge, Evenchae, Zerodis, Nostalgic Impressions. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 201 consumers with an average rating of 4.8.

Written by
Rebecca Cantu Avatar

Rebecca Cantu grew up in a family-owned retail store for home and kitchen products. She worked online and gave assistance to people to buy ideal products for their sweet home after graduating from Northwestern University with a marketing degree. She has been writing content for online shopping guides since 2011 with her professional knowledge and natural sensitivity of appliances.