A silver eye bath with gilt interior, crested and with royal provenance. Once owned by the Hanoverian Royal Family and sold by Sotheby's on their behalf in Oct 2005. Unmarked, as royal and ambassadorial orders placed through the Jewel House sometimes were. Engraved on the body with the crest of the British Royal Family within the collar of the Order of the Garter surmounted by a ducal coronet. Owned from 1837 by Ernest Augustus Duke of Cumberland (1771-1851) and King of Hanover. However, its origins might precede that date and it could have been the prior property of his younger brother Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge (1774-1859) who served as a popular Viceroy of Hanover from 1816 to 1837.

A 19th century dark cobalt blue Bristol glass apothecary jar. The label is made from real gold leaf with a crimson border under a curved glass front. 'Syr Simplex'  was a sweet syrup used in the 1850s as a base for mixing with other active compounds, and also to treat infantile colic. The stopper, the jar and label are all in simply perfect condition and the deep blue colour contrasts with the brilliant gold to produce a striking effect. Dimensions height 205 mm diameter 80 mm.  

A set of six 19th century antique surgical trocars in a velvet lined rosewood case. The octagonal ebony handles are crosshatched and rounded on alternate panels. The steel trocars have concentric brass mounts and are sheathed in solid silver cannulae. Two of the trocars are curved and may have been used for abdominal paracentesis or suprapubic catheterisation. The box has a lock but no key and a central brass cartouche which reads "Trocars". Dimensions: 225 x 122 x 37 mm

A high quality 19th century post mortem instrument made from rosewood and steel. A similar example is shown on P 42 of Dr Guy Gaboriau's book 'Utils de la Sante ae Medecine Autrfois'. The large knife has a rounded blunt end to avoid trauma to the organs, whilst the smaller knife doubles up for use as scissors. The sprung joint is kept closed by a steel clip at the end of the scalloped handle. Signed on the large blade "Picault Bte pour le Couteau Cisaille 46 Rue Dauphin (Crown) I Paris". Dates to 1850's.

The style of the instrument and the finial of the plunger date this bone syringe to the early 19th century. It can be dissembled into its constituent parts. The body is made from a single hollow tube of bone onto which flat disks of bone are screwed at either end. The plunger fits through one of these and waxed chord wound around the distal end would have made a watertight connection with the body. The other end accommodates a nozzle which is also secured with a screw. This may either have been used as an ear syringe, but it could also have been used to introduce chemicals per urethra for the treatment of syphilis and other venereal diseases which were rife at this time.

A c1850 antique pedometer by Negretti & Zambra, arguably London's finest 19th century instrument makers. Housed in a Moroccan leather fitted case with the owner's initials V.Y.C.G. The green silk lining is marked in gold with the company's royal crest and below this "Negretti and Zambra London, 45 Cornhill, 122 Regent St & Crystal Paklace". The pedometer is in perfect working. The gilt metal casing holds the mechanism which is fronted with a white enamel dial bordered with Roman numerals and a hinged glass front. On the lower edge there are adjusting mechanisms to reset the dial and adjust the speed of the gearing to "S" or "F". The pedometer as we know it was invented by Thomas Jefferson in 1786 but Leonardo da Vinci and the Romans before him made devices to measure walking distance. 

Thomas' speculum signed Tiemann on the lever of the retractor. This was a variation on a theme of Simm's speculum but it has a retractor instead of a superior blade which largely serves the same purpose, although the retractor can be adjusted in length. The opening of the instrument is also limited by an adjustable screw. The handle s made from crosshatched ebony in an octagonal configuration. A similar instrument can be seen on page 445 of Tiemann's American Armamentarium Chirurgicum

A well fashioned French antique dental model by Vecabé. The full set of teeth are made from enamel and would have been painstakingly crafted and fired individually.  Each one is secured to the mandible with brass pin and can be removed. They fit together perfectly to form an anatomically correct bite. The heavy metal block opens through 180 degrees to allow detailed inspection. On the upper surface is engraved "Vecabé Brevet D'invention 675996 SGDG Modèle D'Examen Destiné a L'Art Dentaire Brevets Dans Touts Les Pays Civilisés 12032". Dates to the 1920's.

An antique dental file used for making separations between teeth. The frame is made from steel and holds a blade of course wire. The wire is secured with two tiny wing nuts and can be tightened with a screw mechanism at one end. The handle is made from crosshatched ivory with a silver mount. The instrument is unsigned and would originally have been part of a set probably dating to the early 19th century. Dimensions 150 x 15 x 8 mm mm. 

Antique French Brass and Ivory Ear Trumpet

A rare antique French ear trumpet in brass. This large late 19th century piece has an unusual configuration. The trumpet section extends from a relatively narrow body which curves to end in a fitted ivory ear piece. There is a fixed joint mid body. Sometime old modified car horns are passed of as trumpets, but these have inappropriately wide ear pieces and this instrument was unquestionably designed from scratch a bespoke hearing aid. Dimensions high 230 mm diameter 125 mm.

A tragus shaped telescopic "Audiscope" antique ear trumpet made from black Bakelite. In the retracted state the internal section is held in place with a clip within the external trumpet. The ear piece is also made from Bakelite and is detachable and unscrews with a firm thread. The base of the trumpet reads "Trade Mark Audiscope Pat Pend. Amer. Earphone. Co. N.Y." This company made non electronic hearing aids in the 1920s. Height 32 mm width 65 mm retracted length 170 mm extended length 292 mm

Nickel Plated Dome Antique Ear Trumpet

A 19th century German ear trumpet made from tin and finished in black paint. The paint shows some wear but the trumpet has no structural damage. The body is a truncated oval shaped coned inside which as another inverted oval cone reflects sound waves toward the stem. The ear piece made from tin and solder. There is a small ring at the junction of the stem and body which would have been threaded with cord or ribbon to be worn around the neck. Dimensions high 180 mm max diameter 90 mm.

An unsigned nickel plated ear trumpet from the turn of the century made in the London dome style. The base metal is probably brass. The earpiece is made from an early plastic and is fixed. The grille is rather pretty with a radiating floral design. The condition is excellent noting two tiny dings. Height 150 x Width 110 mm.