C.1820 Georgian, Ivory Folding Toothpick

Collectibles : Vanity Items : Personal Accessories

 

Of elephant ivory, 1 5/16" closed, 2 13/16" fully opened. Three long triangular picks swing out at one end for light-duty after-dinner mop-up, the other end is mounted with a heavier stationary carved claw for dealing with serious clean-up.

180 years ago, unless you were a peasant working the fields, using a straw or a whittled twig wasn't considered proper hygienic etiquette when prying old sweetmeats from your dentures. A person with any class at all would always have one of these nifty little gizmos in a waistcoat pocket!

Instead of being hand-sawn, a shaped steel punch was used to cut the handles and the three picks from a thin sheet of ivory (as can be deduced when using magnification to view the slightly crushed edges of these parts). Since the hooked and pinned spacer at one end was too thick to punch, it was shaped with a traditional jeweler's saw.

From a pachyderm's mouth, to a Georgian gentleperson's, to yours, and in tightly-fitting, undamaged condition!

Item ID: 01508