Letter opener

Horace E. Potter was a founder and leader of Cleveland’s vibrant community of Arts and Crafts metalworkers, and his was one of the most successful metalwork and jewelry craft shops in the Midwest. After graduating from the Cleveland School of Art in 1898, Potter studied and worked briefly in Boston and England. Before returning to Cleveland in 1908, he worked under Charles Robert Ashbee (1863-1942), a guiding force in England’s Arts and Crafts movement. Although many American Arts and Crafts metalworkers expressed interest in and awareness of Ashbee’s work, Potter was one of very few to have such direct contact with Ashbee and his workshop. Inspired by the collaborative environment of Ashbee’s Guild of Handicraft, Potter established a studio, variously named Potter Studio (1899-1909), Potter Bentley Studios (1928-1933) and Potter and Mellen (1933-2008), which produced a diverse array of handcrafted goods. The elegance and fluidity of this letter opener reflects Ashbee’s sensibilities. In design and execution, the letter opener is an outstanding example of American Arts and Crafts metalwork and an eloquent testament to the skill and creativity of Potter and the other craftsmen working at his studio.