Branding tool for marking deserters, London, England 1810-1850

Made:
1810-1850 in London
maker:
Savigny and Company
Brass instrument for 'branding', deserters with a letter 'D' Branding tools stamped the letter D on the skin of army or navy Brass instrument for "branding", deserters with a letter "D" Brass instrument for "branding", deserters with a letter "D" Brass instrument for "branding", deserters with a letter "D"

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

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

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

License

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

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

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

License

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

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

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

License

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

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

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

License

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

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

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

License

Brass instrument for 'branding', deserters with a letter 'D'
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Branding tools stamped the letter D on the skin of army or navy
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Brass instrument for "branding", deserters with a letter "D"
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Brass instrument for "branding", deserters with a letter "D"
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Brass instrument for "branding", deserters with a letter "D"
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Brass instrument for 'branding', deserters with a letter 'D', in leather covered case, by Savigny and Co., 67 St. James's Street, London, England, 1810-1850.

Branding tools stamped the letter ‘D’ on the skin of army or navy deserters. The adjustable points, which still bear ink traces of ink, were pushed through the skin by a sprung-powered mechanism. This unpleasant device was made by Savigny & Co, better known as a major London maker of surgical instruments in the 1700s and early 1800s.

Branding as a form of punishment and a mark of ownership exists throughout history. The Greeks and Romans branded slaves and runaways by stamping the skin with hot irons. In England during the 1500s, Edward VI decreed gypsies and vagabonds could be stamped with a ‘V’ on the chest. Branding was abolished in 1829 with the exception of army deserters. After this time, the mark was tattooed on the body. The practice was totally abandoned in 1879.