Description:
Hand-carved letter opener inscribed, "Old Deerfield / C. Alquist," in black and blue ink. "C. Alquist," an abbreviation for Clara Alquist (1876-1944), arrived in Deerfield in 1921 with her husband, Ernest Sherman, and established the Acanthus Studio on Albany Road. Alquist specialized in painted landscapes in watercolors and oils, coats of arms, and illuminated verse. She was a member of the Society of Deerfield Industries, exhibiting with the Society until 1941, the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, and the Deerfield Valley Arts Association. During the Great Depression Alquist found additional employment with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). On March 11, 1938, Alquist recorded in her diary, "painted initials on paper knives." The letter opener reflects Alquist's efforts to create products that catered to a growing tourist market in Deerfield in the early 20th century.

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