Evaluation & Pricing of Civil War Medical Antiques

Dr. Michael Echols

Evaluations are limited to pre-1866 "Civil War" American maker surgical antiques only

Partial or complete surgical sets:

An 'Evaluation' and pricing will generally consist of dating the set or instruments if pre-1866; information on the maker, when and where the maker existed; discussion of the condition and presence of incorrect or missing instruments; the original use of the set;  and a value if applicable.  The extent of the evaluation will depend on the individual set and its historical value.  Clear, focused digital photos are a must!  Again set evaluations are only available for Civil War era or any set marked for the Hosp. Dept. or Med. Department.

Evaluation of American Civil War surgical antiques are provided at no-charge.  Requests for consultation or evaluation are welcome from individuals, museums, curators, archivists, auction houses, and antique dealers...but good clear focused digital photos and communication are essential from you about what you have...please email all the details asked for below.

Evaluation procedures listed below are for Civil War era surgical sets, kits, or instruments:  please follow these instructions carefully.

 

 Guidelines and Examples of the kind of photos I need

 

Wood cased surgical sets or rolled leather kits:

• Who made the surgical set, what is the maker name inside the set or on all the instruments? 

- If there is a maker label, email me the maker name, city or address if present.   If there is a maker label in the interior of the set or kit, take a clearly focused photo of the label.  See maker label and mark examples

Please look at the photo Hints and Examples of the kind of photos I need to help you

• What maker names are imprinted on the individual instruments in a case? 

- Are they all the same or are there different maker names in the set? 

- List the names or partial names of any makers stamped on individual instruments.  Use a magnifying glass to look carefully at all areas on the instruments to obtain the maker's name, city, and any other information or numbers stamped on the flat areas of the instrument.  Please, please... take good clear, focused photos if you cannot make out the name.

• Take photos with all instruments seated in the formed slots of the case or kit.  

- I need to know what instruments are present and if the instruments fit the slots in the case.  Empty slots indicate missing instruments.  There may be instruments which are not part of the case or set and are 'extras'. 

Example of Non-original scissors planted in case slots

- Next: take well lighted, clearly focused, photos of all the instruments grouped and 'out' of the case.

Look at these Examples

• Are there obviously any instruments missing? 

  - If instruments are missing, please photograph the area of the case where you believe the instruments are missing. 

 Example of a display of instruments typically found in a Civil War era surgical set

• If there is a brass plate on the top of wood case, is it engraved and with what words? 

  - If you can't read the writing, take a good clearly focused photo as 1800's script writing can be difficult to read.

• What are the dimensions of the wood case?  

  - I need the Height, Width, Length?  Be sure to take photos of the exterior and interior of the case so I can see outside condition, especially hardware like the brass sliding locks, key hole, latches, brass plate, any major damage to the case.

   

  E-mail your photos and details to: Dr. Michael Echols, Fort Myers, Florida

    Contact by email 

Please review your photos before you send them. 

To test: send them to yourself first.  If you can't see them clearly, neither can I.

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American Civil War Medical & Surgical Antiques

This site is an active on-going collection and research project.  Additions are actively being sought.  Information and evaluations on pre-1865 material are gladly provided to individuals, universities, authors, archivists, museums, libraries, auction houses, antique dealers, and researchers. 

Students and teachers are welcome to use the content on this educational site for projects without permission.  All others please request permission before publication.  Material produced by Dr. Echols is copyrighted and all rights are reserved.  Permission is gladly given, but please ask.

All content 'by Dr. Echols' and all original photography on this Web Site is copyrighted 1995 - 2010 and may not be used on any other web site or in print without the expressed e-mail permission from Dr. Echols:  Contact   All rights reserved.  Please note, information on this site may not be normally referenced as this is an active research project and content may not yet be properly cited for publication. 

("Braceface" is a term kids apply to other kids who wear braces.  Dr. Echols is a retired orthodontist)

 

Last update: Tuesday, March 16, 2010