Down London: Taxidermy Knife?

beasbookz · Post by **beasbookz** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:59 am

Small folding knife with locking backsprings by Down,London, a celebrated maker of surgical instruments.
Beautifully made folder with what I suspect are silver plated
blades.The person I got the knife from said that is was a taxidermy
knife and part of a much larger set?? Come in

S-K, come in anyone,
Thanks.

Sauconian · Post by **Sauconian** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:23 am

Well, Beas I sure can't help you, but it's nice to know others buy neat stuff just to learn what they are.

Maybe it's for ahh....fixin'... pet Kukaburros ?

If the blades are silver, that may be real tortoise too. You prob' scored a museum piece !
Sure can't wait to learn the real answer.

Fran

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:45 am

She could be a real old golffers knive.....

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:34 pm

I'm fairly certain the "flag" shaped blade is a fleam for bleeding animals...but not sure about the other blade, which does appear purposefully shaped.

Here is a picture of what are said to be Taxidermists' knives, on display in a museum in South Australia.....

http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/page/defa ... fragPage=2

Interesting knife in any event.

Bill

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:30 pm

the curved blade is a bistourie and the other is a gum lancet. maybe

Sauconian · Post by **Sauconian** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:17 pm

jonet143 wrote:the curved blade is a bistourie and the other is a gum lancet. maybe

Johnnie, What was the purpose, or use, of a bistourie ?

Fran

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:39 pm

to my knowledge it was a scalpel used on muscle tissue. i don't know if the tool in question was for man or beast ...or both. generaly, a fleem(for bleeding and draining) was triangular in shape and sometimes spring powered. ouch!

beasbookz · Post by **beasbookz** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 1:54 am

Sauconian,

That's KOOKABURRA n. (Aust.) laughing jackass (Dacelo gigas),
giant kingfisher, noted for its' loud discordant cry.
Good try though

Cheers,

Sauconian · Post by **Sauconian** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:13 am

[quote="beasbookz"]Sauconian,

That's KOOKABURRA n. (Aust.) laughing jackass (Dacelo gigas),

Whud you call me ?

Fran

P.S. Years ago I had a spring loaded fleem, with a sterling silver, engraved frame. Although I often contemplated, I never got up enough nerve to try it out. The second Ex. has that !

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:10 am

That's a cool looking knife John

. The knife was made in Sheffield for Down Bros of London which was a surgical supply company.

s-k

beasbookz · Post by **beasbookz** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:23 am

Hi

S-K,
When do you think it was made?
Cheers John.(I'm going to try to round up the other seven in this set and unlike this one they are all mint and near mint...fingers crossed.)

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 3:51 pm

beasbookz wrote:Hi S-K,
When do you think it was made?
Cheers John.(I'm going to try to round up the other seven in this set and unlike this one they are all mint and near mint...fingers crossed.)

It would be great to see a set of these

. I don't know the use of all of the different surgical blades but it would be very interesting to learn.

Based on materials, i.e., pre stainless steel and pre much concern for infection, I'd hypothesise late 1800s. Don't know for sure though. Will see if I can find anything else in next few days.

s-k

beasbookz · Post by **beasbookz** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 6:08 pm

S-K,
Is it at all possible that they were part of a field surgeons' kit? The others are really stunning, marked Down. London and several marked Ferguson
with no other address. Cheers,