Artist/Maker

Brookes –Laundy

Place Made

Date Made

1785-1815

Medium

walnut –cloth

Dimensions

HOA 1 1/4; WOA 7 1/4; DOA 3

Accession Number

3193.29

Description

Medical kit in walnut case with silver plate marked “Brookes” which contains: 6 ivory handled scalpels, engraved “B” and “LAUNDY” on steel blades; 3 chain-hook retractor; tweezers. Cloth lining the interior of case. B. Laundry & Sons was the mark used by this instrument making company ca. 1805 (Bennion 323).

History

HISTORY: Minor surgery kit containing: scalpels, chain hook and tweezers; divided. The six scalpels vary in size. The chain hooks would have been used as retractors or to pull back layers of skin during surgery. The tweezers would have been used to pluck foreign objects from wounds etc. Laundy were instrument makers with a workshop in St Thomas’ Street, opposite Guy’s Hospital, from 1783 to 1819.

Makers: No information found

Credit Line

Gift of Dr. John Monroe