Letter opener

History

This letter opener was collected in Fiji in the 1960s. This was a period of immense expansion in international airline travel due to changing technology,and reduction in prices making air travel more accessible for the masses. Subsequently it opened up places like the Pacific region as destinations for tourist leisure and recreation. Woodcarving in Fiji increased dramatically due to the large number of tourist visitors in the 1960s and other merchandise and products were developed to meet the demand of this new market. Items such as this letter opener were typical of the type collected by travellers as souvenirs or keepsakes. 

Construction and materials

This is a letter opener in the shape of a cutlass or sword. The silver coloured metal blade has a curved sharp edge and two curves making up the back edge so that its widest point is about two thirds of the way along the blade. The handle is shaped like that of a sword and is made from mottled dark brown and yellow tortoiseshell. Silver metal has been applied to the handle and engraved with tiny hatching marks to create detail. On both sides of the handle there are two metal dots, in the centre at each end of the handle. Between these dots on one side only, there is a simple image of a palm tree, beach and a figure in a boat; and the word 'Fiji'.

Significance

This object is a tangible example of available tourist material culture from the mid-twentieth century in places like Fiji.

Acquisition history

This letter opener was acquired by Grace Hutton from Jackie Bruce, who lived in Fiji as a child during the 1950s and early 1960s. Jackie's mother bought these items, most probably from one of the local markets.

References

Bolabola, C. "The impact of tourism on Fijian woodcarving," Rajotte, F. and Crocombe, R. (eds.) Pacific tourism, as islanders see it. (Suva: University of the South Pacific Institute of Pacific Studies in association with South Pacific Social Sciences Association, 1980)

Bossen, C. 'Festival mania, tourism and nation building in Fiji: the case of the Hibiscus Festival, 1956-1970' , The Contemporary Pacific, 12, 1, 2000, pp.123-154.

Dierikx, M. Clipping the clouds : how air travel changed the world. (Connecticut: Praeger, 2008).

Gottdiener, M. Life in the air : surviving the new culture of air travel. (Maryland: Rowman Littlefield, 2001).

McLean, G. "Barques, banana boats and boeings. Transport and communications, 1860s to the present day," Mallon, S.,Mahina-Tuai, K.and Salesa, D. (eds.)Tangata o le Moana: New Zealand and the people of the Pacific.(Wellington, Te Papa Press, 2012).