BELONGED TO DR. GEORGE EDWARD STUART
POSSIBLY GIFTED TO HIM BY A CIVIL WAR SURGEON, SCOLLAY PARKER, M.D.
This is an extensive, and virtually complete set made by Julius Tiencken. Sets this complete with original instruments are rare, and ones made by one of the minor contractors are almost prohibitively rare. Tiencken is known to have secured a contract to produce surgical sets for the U.S . Army Hospital Department during the Civil War. The firm was relatively small, hence his production was necessarily small, and today his medical equipment is considered to be far from common and is actively sought by collectors.
This set was made by Julius Tiencken, a New York City surgical instrument maker who was active from 1863 – 1872. The case is made of rosewood with brass trim, and features double sliding latches as are found on on military contract sets. There are two molded compartments lined in faded red velvet. The set includes a capital amputation saw with bow frame and extra blade, a metacarpal saw, a tourniquet, a Galt-style trephine (with bluing) with handle, one lenticular, a bone brush, one bone sequestrum (or tissue) forceps, one large and one small bone cutting forceps. It also includes two tissue retractors, one long and one small Liston type amputation knife, one long and one small catlin, one scalpel, one trocar, one Cooper’s hernia knife, one curved sharp pointed and one curved probe pointed bistoury, one tenaculum, one aneurysm needle, one gum lancet and one sliding artery forceps. There are several assorted suturing needles with wire, a small oval wooden block with brass strap on the reverse (possibly used in conjunction with the tourniquet), and a small carved wooden tapered plug. Many of the instruments are stamped “Tiencken”, and all of the items fit perfectly in their position in the case.