Patrick Henry’s Paper Cutter

Own a piece of American history with this replica of Patrick Henry’s paper cutter! While delivering his famous “Liberty or Death” speech in March 1775, Henry held a whalebone paper cutter. According to Henry biographer Robert D. Meade, “As Henry exclaimed ‘Give me liberty…’ he held aloft an ivory letter opener, letting it sink slowly into his breast at the word ‘death.’”

Each replica paper cutter is made of animal bone and modeled after the original, which is in the museum collection at Red Hill. Learn more about Henry’s original paper cutter here.