(Old Scalpel Thread) - Antique Ships' Surgeons' Scalpel
Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:36 am
Antique Ships' Surgeons' Scalpel
Interesting story/description that came with it's (for what it is worth). After looking at I have conculuded that the handle is not original to the blade but is in fact whalebone. There are no markings on the blade but it is very old buy the type of steel it's made from.
Description: This is an antique ships' surgeons' scalpel. The handle is either ivory or whalebone. It came to me through my wife's family which goes very far back in Salem, New Bedford, and Nantucket, Massachusetts history. Her ancestors were whalers and merchant ship owners mostly in Nantucket and New Bedford. If you know the story by Melville--The Whale, or "Moby Dick" many of the names of characters in that book were real whaling families and are in her lineage: Coffin, Starbuck, Gardner, etc. It has a slight crack on one side that was repaired at some point. Otherwise the handle is solid and in fine condition and the carbon steel blade can be honed to razor sharp. It probably should be in a museum but I am offering it here as-is with no returns accepted. I have no idea of the actual age or value of it. But it is very old.
Draac
Interesting story/description that came with it's (for what it is worth). After looking at I have conculuded that the handle is not original to the blade but is in fact whalebone. There are no markings on the blade but it is very old buy the type of steel it's made from.
Description: This is an antique ships' surgeons' scalpel. The handle is either ivory or whalebone. It came to me through my wife's family which goes very far back in Salem, New Bedford, and Nantucket, Massachusetts history. Her ancestors were whalers and merchant ship owners mostly in Nantucket and New Bedford. If you know the story by Melville--The Whale, or "Moby Dick" many of the names of characters in that book were real whaling families and are in her lineage: Coffin, Starbuck, Gardner, etc. It has a slight crack on one side that was repaired at some point. Otherwise the handle is solid and in fine condition and the carbon steel blade can be honed to razor sharp. It probably should be in a museum but I am offering it here as-is with no returns accepted. I have no idea of the actual age or value of it. But it is very old.
Draac
great posting them, thanks