Dental instrument set, England, 1601-1700

Dental instrument set, 5 instruments remain and 2 bottles Dental instrument set, 5 instruments remain and 2 bottles Dental instrument set, 5 instruments remain and 2 bottles

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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Dental instrument set, 5 instruments remain and 2 bottles
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Dental instrument set, 5 instruments remain and 2 bottles
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Dental instrument set, 5 instruments remain and 2 bottles
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Dental instrument set, 5 instruments remain and 2 bottles, in chest covered with bullion embroidery showing arms of Bacon of Redgrave, 17th century

These dental instruments include these four silver descalers used to remove plaque and other tooth deposits. The ornate chest may also have been used to carry medicines or articles for personal hygiene.

This chest was made for one of the descendants of Sir Nicholas Bacon (d. 1624) of Redgrave, Suffolk, who was descended from an earlier Sir Nicholas Bacon (1509-79), Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. The chest is embroidered with the Bacon coat of arms. The handles of the instruments and the tops of the bottles are decorated with boars or pigs, a pun on the family name.

Details

Category:
Dentistry
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A61493
Materials:
wood, brass, silver and gold
Measurements:
overall: 255 mm x 220 mm x 95 mm, 1.73kg
type:
dental instrument set
credit:
Christie's

Parts

2 bottles, one with engraved silver cap

2 bottles, one with engraved silver cap

2 bottles, one with engraved silver cap

Materials:
glass and silver
Object Number:
A61493 Pt1
type:
bottles
Dental descaler

Dental descaler

Dental descaler, steel, with engraved silver handle

Measurements:
overall: 13 mm x 168 mm x 13 mm, 0028 kg
Materials:
steel and silver
Object Number:
A61493 Pt2
type:
dental files
Dental descaler

Dental descaler

Dental descaler, steel, with engraved silver handle

Measurements:
overall: 12 mm x 145 mm x 17 mm, 0.014 kg
Materials:
steel and silver
Object Number:
A61493 Pt3
type:
dental descalers
Dental descaler

Dental descaler

Dental descaler, steel, with engraved silver handle

Measurements:
overall: 10 mm x 141 mm x 12 mm, 0.016 kg
Materials:
steel and silver
Object Number:
A61493 Pt4
type:
dental descalers
Dental descaler

Dental descaler

Dental descaler, steel, with engraved silver handle

Measurements:
overall: 12 mm x 167 mm x 13 mm, 0.02 kg
Materials:
steel and silver
Object Number:
A61493 Pt5
type:
dental descalers
Dental descaler

Dental descaler

Dental descaler, steel, incomplete, with engraved silver handle

Measurements:
overall: 12 mm x 143 mm x 12 mm, 0.016 kg
Materials:
steel and silver
Object Number:
A61493 Pt6
type:
dental descalers
Chest covered with bullion embroidery showing arms of Bacon of Redgrave

Chest covered with bullion embroidery showing arms of Bacon of Redgrave

Chest covered with bullion embroidery showing arms of Bacon of Redgrave, 17th century for dental instrument set - lacks side drawer

Measurements:
overall: 263 mm x 220 mm x 100 mm, 1.746 kg
Materials:
wood (unidentified) , brass (copper, zinc alloy) , gold (metal) , silver (alloy) , velvet , silk , glass and textile
Object Number:
A61493 Pt7
type:
instrument sets