Description:
Folding brown leather surgical pocket case, which is stamped with gold leaf: "J. REYNDERS & CO. / Surg'l Inst's / Anat. Models / 303 Fourth Av. N.Y." and "GL NOV PARIS" and "Dr C.H.H. SAYRE" Originally in partnership with Ferdinand G. Otto at 64 Chatham St. in New York City, John Reynders, a German artisan, moved uptown first to 309 Fourth Ave in 1875, a shop that was literally under Bellevue's "College of Physicians and Surgeons," and 303 Fourth Ave in 1878. In 1879, the firm became John Reynders & Co., a partnership he formed with his son, Charles; John Reynders sold the partnership to his son in 1882, and the company lasted until the end of the century. They both manufactured and imported surgical instruments. An article in the "New York Times" describes the fatal accident of Dr. C.H.H. Sayre (1850-1880) who lived at 285 Fifth Avenue and was described as well-known in society, and an ardent sportsman who also showed his dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club bench shows. Dr. C.H.H. Sayre was the son of the well-known orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lewis A. Sayre (1820-1900) who studied medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now of Columbia University), and later helped establish the first academic department of orthopedics in America at the Bellevue Medical College where he served as their first Professor of Orthopedics; he was also President of the American Medical Society in 1880 and helped establish the weekly publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association. An obituary in the "Medical and Surgical Reporter" noted that C.H.H. Sayre graduated from Bellevue Medical College in 1879 and was appointed outdoor surgeon of the Poor Department of Bellevue; he also worked and travelled with his father in Europe assisting in his father's medical demonstrations in the summer of 1879. The case has eleven instruments including seven folding, double-ended pocket knives with a choice of blades or tenaculums and tortoise shell handles, and four steel instruments including two forceps and a fine urethal director whose probe is channeled as a director for opening fistulous tracks. Folding knives and other instruments proliferated in the 19th century, contributing to all pocket cases. In 1895, Arnold, a London surgical instrument supplier, advertised the "Practitioner's Knife" with a folding knife, finger saw, abscess knife, gum lancet, etc., which claimed: "It not only does away with the necessity of carrying...a bulky pocket case, but also enables the general practitioner - armed with this instrument - to cope almost with any case he is likely to come in contact with, either on a sudden emergency or in his daily rounds." The blades are stamped with "J.REYNDERS & Co" or "TIEMANN," another major surgical instrument maker on Chatham St. According to James M. Edmonson, Lewis A. Sayre had written in an 1865 article of the "great perfection" of the instruments made by New York City manufactures, Otto and Reynders, Tiemann, and Wade & Ford. Wooden and tortoisehell handles were replaced with metal handles between 1883 and 1900.
Tags:
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