A MINOR MANUFACTURER IN ALBANY, NEW YORK, LIKELY
AFFILIATED WITH JAMES MARTIN, ANOTHER MINOR MANUFACTURER
According to Dr. Michael Echols, who has the superb website medicalantiques.com, there is a connection of sorts between Edward Owens and another surgical instrument maker, James Martin. Dr. Echols has a three-tiered set made by Martin which is shown here: http://www.medicalantiques.com/civilwar/Surgery_Sets/Martin_c.1850s_surgical_set.htm.
Edward Owens, like Martin, was an isolated maker, and not one of the major makers like Tiemann or Gemrig in New York or Philadelphia. Both men lived in Albany and for some years, their business addresses from (according to Edmonson) were on the same street. Edmonson records that James Martin was active from 1843 – 1870, and Edward Owens from 1833 – 1851.
In Dr. Echols’ set, most of the instruments are marked Martin, but two instruments (which fit perfectly in the case) are marked Owens. Dr. Echols suspects that Owens may have supplied instruments to Martin. In my set, all of the amputation knives and the bone forceps are marked Owens. The bone amputation saw is unmarked, but nearly identical to the one shown in the set by Martin – except it has a cross-hatched, rather than smooth wood handle. This style of the very small amputation saw is typical of the 1850’s. The blade style of the amputation blades is like those from the 1850’s. The handles of the amputation knives are ‘beefy’ and much heavier than those of later knives which also points to the early 1850’s. The tourniquet strap is striped cloth, typical for the pre-Civil War and early Civil War time period. The T-shaped tourniquet handle is typical of American manufacture.
Surgical sets by either Edward Owens or James Martin are scarce, unlike those from the major makers. I was not able to find any set made by Owens online.