(a) Amputation knife, which consists of a straight, flat blade with a straight, slightly rounded back, a tapered sharp pointed tip and a straight, thin, sharp cutting edge; the other end of the knife blade goes into a long, rounded ebony handle that has cross-hatched gripping incisions carved into …
(a) Amputation knife, which consists of a straight, flat blade with a straight, slightly rounded back, a tapered sharp pointed tip and a straight, thin, sharp cutting edge; the other end of the knife blade goes into a long, rounded ebony handle that has cross-hatched gripping incisions carved into the wood of the front and back; the sides are smooth; the outer end tapers to a blunt point; the knife is stored in a leather sheath (b); the sheath is made of two pieces of leather cut into the shape and length of the blade and sewn together with the bottom left open so that it can be put on or taken off the knife blade.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
a - amputation knife - Size: Length 37.7 cm x Width 2.2 cm x Depth 1.3 cm
b - leather sheath - Size: Length 26.6 cm x Width 3.1 cm x Depth 1.0 cm
Provenance
Originally owned and used by Dr. B. N. Kropp; collected by Dr. A. A. Travill for the Queen's University Faculty of Medicine Collection.
Dates
1860
1880
circa 1860-1880
Date Remarks
Knife type used between 1860 and 1880
Material
metal: silver
wood: black
leather: brown
fabric: brown; green
Inscriptions
(a) One side of the blade has the words, "SNOW [illeg.] // PHILA" stamped into the metal just above the handle
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-E1-3
Condition Remarks
The metal shows some wear and minor staining; no corrosion is visible; the wooden handle shows minor wear; the wood has a 7-cm-long crack on one side, close to the blade; the leather is complete, unstained, and flexible.
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Document
Book
Reference Comments
Previous number #141; Faculty of Medicine Collection 1984 Inventory; "A Pictorial Encyclopedia of Civil War Medical Instruments and Equipment," Vol. I, by Dr. Gordon Dammann, 1983, p. 14 (item #20); "Antique Medical Instruments," by C. Keith Wilbur, M.D., 1987, p. 126; came in instrument roll 997.001.414 with 6 other amputation knives (997.001.415-.419, .421)