mini letter opener, briquet shape, Napoleonic era

Letter opener briquet sabre

A letter opener in the shape of a saber from the Napoleonic era, made of metal.

The saber is a curved, single-edged sword designed for cutting, commonly used by cavalry and by infantry and naval officers between the 17th and 20th centuries.

The curved nature of its blade traditionally distinguishes it from the sword, and its purpose is to allow a man, when swinging his arm with this weapon, to draw a wide circle around his opponent, ensuring that the cutting edge of the saber is always tangent; it arose from the need for speed in combat, which is achieved by cutting through rather than leaving the blade embedded in the opponent’s body. Sabers designed for cavalry have a pronounced curve and are nearly circular, whereas sabers for the infantry and navy have a less pronounced curve, as they place greater emphasis on the defensive function: keeping the enemy at bay and parrying their blows.