Antique Business Machine Lightning Letter Opener Bircher Co. H 8805 1915
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:42067 |
Another amazing object of mechanical wonder from over 100 years ago: when business and the mercantile fields were searching for efficiency in the workplace.
This is a “Lightening Letter Opener” — not the mid century electronic ones but a hand cranked, flywheel driven wonder!
By continually cranking and feeding letters through (on the surface and against the backplate of the machine) a rotary cutter would slice off a tiny strip of paper. These would travel down a polished ch...ute.
But this mechanical workhorse made it possibly for a mailroom to quickly pre-open the letters coming into the company!
Although the belts are aged they slip, the mechanicals are just fine! It kind of works as is; but you would need to find a new belt to make it work perfectly.
It’s all there and totally undamaged in any way. It’s a heavy, cast iron beastie... painted in lovely crinkle-finish black and with brass and wood fittings. I suppose it would easily last another 500 years. The quality is amazing. In our digital world there is so much obsolescence; this is from an age that built things to last forever.
Again, pretty heavy— I will box up for super safe arrival....
Cheers!
This is a “Lightening Letter Opener” — not the mid century electronic ones but a hand cranked, flywheel driven wonder!
By continually cranking and feeding letters through (on the surface and against the backplate of the machine) a rotary cutter would slice off a tiny strip of paper. These would travel down a polished ch...ute.
But this mechanical workhorse made it possibly for a mailroom to quickly pre-open the letters coming into the company!
Although the belts are aged they slip, the mechanicals are just fine! It kind of works as is; but you would need to find a new belt to make it work perfectly.
It’s all there and totally undamaged in any way. It’s a heavy, cast iron beastie... painted in lovely crinkle-finish black and with brass and wood fittings. I suppose it would easily last another 500 years. The quality is amazing. In our digital world there is so much obsolescence; this is from an age that built things to last forever.
Again, pretty heavy— I will box up for super safe arrival....
Cheers!
