Thank you so much, DrD and Rick, for cracking this riddle.
Also tank you for the SAMSON name correction; i was thinking of my cell phone
.
Now that i know what it is, i went looking in the Web and the small knife in the device tail often appears. This one is a different apparatus in format, apparently not so easy to find. I will consider the angular slots on the upper part as having a purpose, like suggested.
By the fine looking of this thing, gold plated and carefully decorated, i would place it in the 19th. century. Would you Gentlemen agree ?