A knife is one of the most ancient tools of labor. People began using knives for office purposes quite recently. Initially, ordinary metal knives and military daggers were used to open envelopes and cut paper. The first specialized office knives appeared in the 18th and 19th centuries, when paper became an integral part of everyday life, and there was a demand for stationery.

In the past, a newly printed book could not be read without the aid of a book knife, as there were no hydraulic presses capable of cutting through thick book pages. Instead, a large sheet of paper was folded multiple times and stitched together. A printed book, composed of several sheets, was bound without trimming. Hence, readers had to manually separate the pages using a knife.

Apart from the aforementioned purpose, knives were also used for letters.

Unlike stationery knives designed for opening envelopes, book knives had a slightly larger size and a wider blade. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a paper knife was also known as a coupe-papier. Paper knives were used for marking pages in books or as bookmarks. They were an essential part of workspaces and bookshelves of educated individuals.

These objects were made from wood, metal, and bone. Similar to other household items, they often became miniature works of decorative and applied art. Ordinary, utilitarian objects were adorned with intricate carvings, castings, and inlays of rare, precious materials such as mother of pearl and stones.

The paper knife on display at the Rybinsk Museum features geometric patterns. The upper part of the handle is decorated with an image of a flower inside a square. In the bottom, there is a rectangle adorned with three transverse zigzag lines.