The firm of George Tiemann
Company, New York, was at the 67 Chatham St., New York address, shown on the
maker label, from 1863 / 1864 until 1871. This information in itself
is not the sole reason to date the set at the earliest date range. The
style of the instruments, shape of the knife blades, and the style and
presence of the brass bands on the mahogany case point to the earliest date
for this address. This three tier with removable tray set was made
during in the Civil War for civilian or state militia consumption.
You will see
these sets at auctions and attributed to ownership
by U.S. Army surgeons, especially surgeons in the state volunteer militias of the
Northeast as the set is configured for field surgery, with a bullet forceps and
other instruments for more extensive surgery than the typical civilian surgeon would
encounter.
George Tiemann & Co. (George Tiemann, Frederick A. Stohlmann, and Edward
Pfarre) surgical instruments
1855-63/64: 63 Chatham and 44 Eldridge
1863/64-71: 67 Chatham and 44 Eldridge *
Compare the mahogany
case (16.5 x 4.25 x 5.75 in. lined with red velvet) of
this set to a slightly earlier 1860 set.
Note the brass banding on the case.
Also, note the shape of
the amputation blades of the two sets. The delicate size and down curved
shape of the amputation blades is typical of 1860 sets by Tiemann.
Down curved blades are typically immediately pre-Civil War and during the
first year of the war. Thin, light
handled, down curved blades are very typical during the transition from the
heavier handles and blades of early 1850's to the start of the Civil War when
Army contracts specified heaver blades that were straight and the handles again much heavier.
This kind of set was put up by Geo. Tiemann through out the Civil War
along side their U.S. Army military contract orders.
The maker marks for
Tiemann vary in this set as is typical for this era: Tiemann; Tiemann &
Co. (See the introduction page 64 of the Tiemann catalog for a discussion of the
various markings used during a given time frame.)
The ' pistol grip' style of the
Parker capital
saw is typical of later Tiemann Civil War sets which is consistent with the 67
Chatham address.
The trephine has an
early style beautifully turned horn handle, the Galt's style crown of the
trephine is tapered and blued which would date the trephine to only as early as
1860 (page 92, Edmonson). All instruments are original to the set and
the set came from a family in the northeast about ten years ago. It
has never been in the hands of a dealer or another collector.
Click on images to enlarge
Civil War era maker
trade label for Geo. Tiemann
Removable tray
Click on images to enlarge
29 individual pieces make up this set
Tourniquet and heavy tissue retractors
Above: changeable suture needle tips and handle
Above left: Galt trephine; Right: Parker
style capital saw
Above left middle: (American) Bullet Forceps (fig.
1365 Tiemann catalog)
Above and below: four
variations of Tiemann markings found in
this set
Bandage material folded on cardboard
Needles, silver wire, and silk thread suture
material on a glass spool
There are three
instruments which are curiously not marked Tiemann or Tiemann & Co. They
are marked Kulman & Co. The three are the metacarpal saw, which fits
perfectly in the case slot (see photo below) and matches the other checkered
instruments. The other two instruments have smooth hexagonal ebony handles and
fit perfectly in
the lift-out tray. One with removable tips for suturing, the other with a
cutting edge tip (see photo below). Both instruments fit perfectly in the
slots.
According to Edmonson, Kulman & Co. (Detroit, Michigan) did not exist until 1869, but
the elder August Kulman was listed in business during 1867. It is
entirely possible Kulman was supplying Tiemann with these instruments prior to
this time. His location prior to 1867 is unknown. None of
the instruments appear to be replacements because they fit 100% in the given
slots, but the presence of the pieces is curious for a Tiemann set. (Dates and maker
information from Edmonson's book: American Surgical Instruments: an
illustrated history)
Close-up to show fit and mark
of three Kulman instruments
