A set of dental instruments, the first compartment containing six scalers with mother of pearl handles with silver-gilt mounts in the form of the Queen's crown, roses, thistles and shamrocks, examination mirror with agate handle, crown mount and chased yoke and back-plate, the mounts hallmarked Charles Rawlings and William Summers, London 1846, and a steel double-headed plugger with turned central grip stamped London, the second compartment with mercury phial with boxwood stopper, ivory amalgam bottle and twelve replacement instruments, including a mother of pearl handled mirror, two scalers and a silver-plated tooth-pick, in a fitted, velvet-lined, leather-covered case, the lid with gilt-tooled Crown, in a leather pouch with similar gilt-tooled Crown

A SET OF DENTAL INSTRUMENTS, MADE FOR SIR EDWIN SAUNDERS, AND USED EXCLUSIVLEY WHEN TREATING H.M. QUEEN VICTORIA

Details

A set of dental instruments, the first compartment containing six scalers with mother of pearl handles with silver-gilt mounts in the form of the Queen's crown, roses, thistles and shamrocks, examination mirror with agate handle, crown mount and chased yoke and back-plate, the mounts hallmarked Charles Rawlings and William Summers, London 1846, and a steel double-headed plugger with turned central grip stamped London, the second compartment with mercury phial with boxwood stopper, ivory amalgam bottle and twelve replacement instruments, including a mother of pearl handled mirror, two scalers and a silver-plated tooth-pick, in a fitted, velvet-lined, leather-covered case, the lid with gilt-tooled Crown, in a leather pouch with similar gilt-tooled Crown

Provenance

Sir Edwin Saunders, dentist to Queen Victoria.
Anonymous sale Sotheby & Co., 4 July 1966, lot 2.

Lot Essay

Sir Edwin Saunders, F.R.C.S. (1814-1901) In 1840 he opened, with James Snell and W.A.HArrison, the first dental dispensary for the poor. He took over Alexander Naysmith's practice and later became dentist to Queen Victoria and other menbers of the Royal Family. He was author of Advice on the Care of the Teeth and Teeth the Test of Age. He was twice president of the Odontolgical Society and of the Metropolitan Branch of the BMA. In 1883 he became the first dentist to recieve a knighthood.

The companion set to this on, made for use on the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) is in the posession of the British Dental Association, purchased in the above sale, lot 1.

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