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PRE – CIVIL WAR SURGEON’S OPERATING INSTRUMENT
CASE – VERY NICE SET – ALL MAJOR INSTRUMENTS PRESENT:
This early 1850’s Surgeon’s Operating Instrument Case
has survived in very good condition, with all of the
original major, significant instruments surviving intact
in the finely made case.
Produced by Weiss of London, England, this set can be
dated to the early 1850’s through the maker’s address
label on the inside of the case lid, and by the design
features of the bone saw and amputation knife blades.
The presence of the vertical “key hole” style slots in
the saw blade identify the blade as the “improved”
design, incorporating these larger slots which
facilitated the removal of the bone dust with each
stroke of the blade, which in turn kept the cut cleaned
out during the surgery. This improved design appeared
in the early years of the 1850’s and by the mid-decade
had been copied by other manufacturers. The heavier
handles and rounded, blunt tips of the amputation knife
blades also serve to date this set to the early 1850’s,
as by the later 1850’s that design had given way to
lighter, smaller handles and a pointed blade. For those
collectors wishing to acquire a set that pre-dates the
Civil War and thus represents the sort of set that would
have been possessed by civilian surgeons who accompanied
the early volunteer units, or found themselves caught up
in the war in such urban battlefields such as
Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, or Richmond, this
beautiful case of instruments dates from the proper time
period.
The walnut case measures 14” long, 6 ¼” wide and 3 ¼”
deep. The lid is secured with a center-front inlet
locking latch and the original key is present with the
set and the lock functions properly. In addition, there
are two brass thumb pressure latches – one on each side
of the front of the case – and both function properly so
that the lid is secure when it is closed. The edges and
corners are all reinforced with non-ferrous metal tabs
nicely inlet into the wood – perhaps nickel, now with an
aged patina. The bottom of the case is covered with
green felt that is intact, though faded and showing the
expected wear. The interior of the case is lined in red
velvet, which though showing the imprint of the
instruments is still intact and clean.
The maker’s label is present and fully intact on the
inside lining of the case lid, indicating this set was
manufactured by Weiss. According to Antique Medical
Instruments by Elizabeth Bannon, Weiss was
established at 33 Strand in London in 1811, and that by
1863 he had moved to 62 Strand.
The case features an upper tray that is fitted with two
brass loop handles so that it can be lifted away to
expose the instruments stored in the lower section. The
saw was apparently intended to lie on top of the upper
tray, as there are professionally executed inlets for
the rear spur on the saw’s handle on the right side of
the case lid and the upper tray, and for the rounded tip
of the saw blade on the left side of the case lid.
Upper Tray Contents:
* The saw measures 13” long and is fitted with a black
gutta-percha handle. The reinforcing spine along the
back of the blade is marked on one side, “33 STRAND
LONDON”, and the other side is marked “WEISS’s IMPROV’D
SAW”. The blade is overall bright with no pitting and
the teeth are all intact. The rear spur of the handle
is chipped as shown in the photographs below.
* All four of the original amputation knives are
present, measure from 12” to 8” in overall length, and
each is marked on the blade “WEISS 33 STRAND”. The
blades are still quite sharp and are overall very bright
with only minor points of discoloration. The handles
are gutta-percha handles are all fully intact with no
damage and all feature the same checkered pattern.
There is also a metacarpal saw, 7 ½” long, that appears
to be of the same pattern as the knives, having the same
gutta-percha handle, but the blade is marked “S. MAW &
SON”. There is also a fine wire pick or probe with a
curved end, 5” long, and fitted with a black
gutta-percha handle.
* The forceps are 8” long, and are stamped “WEISS” on
the pivot. The handles are integral to the tool and the
metal surface is heavily checkered to provide the grip.
The overall metal finish is bright with no significant
wear or aging.
* The two tourniquets appear to be unused. The banding
fabric is like new with no evidence of wear or staining,
and the brass screw mechanisms are bright and function
properly. The thumb piece on each screw is marked
“WEISS 33 STRAND”. Below the tourniquets in the same
compartment are two rolls of bandaging material.
* In addition, there is a spool of cotton cord and
beneath it in the same compartment a flat of suture
thread. Adjacent to the thread there is an oval
compartment covered by lid fitted with an ivory knob
that looks to have been used for needles.
Lower Tray Contents:
* Two trephine cutters, with brass shanks and steel
cutting blades, are complete with all the cutting teeth
and the limiting bayonet inside each cylindrical
cutter. Both are in overall very good condition with
some evidence of edge on the cutting blades. The
gutta-percha handle is full form with no chips or
cracks.
* The same handle fits the extractor key. The extractor
key is 5” long and in very good condition with all the
parts functioning properly, including the catch that
allows the extractor jaw to be repositioned. There are
two extra extractor jaws in this set.
* The trocar is 4 ½” long, fitted with a full form
gutta-percha handle, and shows no evidence of wear or
aging, complete with the sliding shield.
* A probe or retractor, 7” long, marked “WEISS 33
STRAND” with wood handles.
* Two smaller scalpels, 6” long, one marked “GRAHAM”,
and the other marked “LAUNDY”, both with wood handles.
* Two catheters, both approximately 13” long. One is
silver is complete with the internal probe and fully
functional. The other is a scarce soft leather “French”
or “gum-elastic” catheter with an ivory top and wire
insert. Due to the material, these French catheters did
not survive well through time and were susceptible to
hardening and cracking when exposed to extremes of
temperature in storage. Though certainly showing signs
of age, this catheter is intact and full length with no
breaks or cracks, still retains the aperture at the end
and the wire insert and still retains a certain amount
of flexibility.
These soft catheters were
employed when it was necessary to leave a catheter in
place for a longer period after surgery.
* A set of short, broad bladed tweezers or forceps.
* Two small wooden handled probes.
* A small ivory handled bristle brush.
While there are some voids in the instrument trays, and
it is apparent that some of the smaller instruments are
missing, overall this is a fairly complete set and all
of the significant original pieces which bear the
maker’s name are present and intact. This cased set
will be a dramatic center piece for a medical display.
SOLD
NOTE: A special note of thanks is
due to Dr. Michael Echols, owner of American Civil
War Medical & Surgical Antiques
for his time and
assistance in identifying and properly dating this
surgeon’s set. Dr. Echol’s web site is well worth
visiting -
www.braceface.com - even if
your primary interest field is not medical antiques – if
nothing else, it will make you appreciate modern
medicine.
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