The name of the maker is often
imprinted or struck into the metal of various instruments. It can help
date an instrument if the maker used variations of the name over a period of
years. In the case of George Tiemann, the company name was often made in
various fonts and characters. Illustrated below are several variations
and approximate dates they are found. Nothing here is written in blood,
but is deduction based on references by
Edmonson,
notes in the Geo. Tiemann Catalog, and the labels in
existing sets of this collection.
The following is quoted
directly from Edmonson's book: American Surgical Instruments:
American
Surgical Instruments: An
Illustrated History of their Manufacture and a Directory of Instrument Makers
to 1900 by James M. Edmonson, Ph.D., Curator, Dittrick Museum of Medical
History, Cleveland Medical Library Association and Case Western Reserve
University.
George Tiemann; George Tiemann & Co.;
Frederick A. Stohlmann; Stohlmann, Pfarre & Co.. 1826-1900
George Tiemann cutler
1826-32: 35 Chatham Street
1833-55: 63 Chatham Street (manufacturer of scissors and surgical
instruments beginning in 1841)
George Tiemann & Co. (George Tiemann, Frederick A. Stohlmann, and Edward
Pfarre) surgical instruments
1855-63/64: 63 Chatham and 44 Eldridge
1863/64-71: 67 Chatham and 44 Eldridge
(George Tiemann died 26 September 1868; succeeded by Stohlmann and pfarre;
factory built at 81 & 83 Boerum, Brooklyn in 1871-72)
1872-86: 67 Chatham and
107 E. 28th (the latter site bore the name Stohlmann, pfarre & Co.; in 1882
Stohlmann and Pfarre were joined in Tiemann & Co. by their sons, C.
Frederick Stohlmann, Louis G. Pfarre, and Julius A. pfarre)
1886-1900: 107 Park Row
Prior to 1855 George Tiemann marked his
medical instruments as 'Tiemans', 'Tiemann', 'Geo. Tiemann'; after 1830
he used the mark 'G. Tiemann & Co.'; and later used 'Tiemann & Co.',
with 'N.Y.', 'N. York', or 'New York'. Tiemann markings are
extremely confusing because the individual and the company mixed the
various markings not only during the Civil War, but afterward.
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One of the earliest Tiemann labels known was for the 1826-1832,
No. 35 Chatham location : "Geo. Tiemann / Surgeon's Instrument
Manufacturer / No. 35 Chatham St., N. York". Photo courtesy
of Dr. Doug Arbittier
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1833 to 1850's logo range
Instruments marked 'Tiemans' is the earliest spelling, then 'Tiemann'
which pre-dates those marked
'Tiemann & Co.'
Most likely Tiemann logo 1833 to 1855
Most likely Tiemann logo c. 1855 to 1860's
Note the 63 address
1855 to 1864
Most likely
Tiemann logo during the Civil War
Note the 63
address
The above Tiemann display ad
with the No. 63 address was in the
1864 issue of Wm. Grace's book, 'The Army Surgeon's Manual'. Note the use
of "George Tiemann & Co."
The above is a transitional label where the '3' of the
'63' has been over-struck with a '7'
Most likely the earlier 1864 to 1886 logo on the
left and a later version on the right
Note the 67 address
1886 to 1920's label for Tiemann
The marks illustrated here were taken
from this collection, but more of the variations can be found in a George
Tiemann catalog reproduction from Norman Publishing. Information on this page is taken from the Tiemann catalog preface in the
George Tiemann & Co., American Armamentarium Chirurgicum: page 63.
Apparently, after the War, Tiemann
mixed instruments with various markings in the same sets, so the marking is
not a consistent indication of date. However, certain fonts are earlier
and others are later and that can help to place an approximate date or weed
mismatched instruments for a given case. It's just another factor used
to figure out when a given set existed or if various instruments have been
replaced incorrectly.
Click on any photo to
enlarge it
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This is thought to be
the earliest Tiemann mark and is spelled "Tiemanns" with an 's'.
c. 1830 ( We have also seen a Tiemanns label which was in the form of
an oval sun burst similar to the one shown above for 35 Chatham St., but
more primitive looking.) |
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These two instruments were from a set marked with a '67 Chatham St.
label, which would place the set in the 1864-1886 era. The handles
are different, as are the ferrules, but they have the same
markings. |
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This mark 'TIEMANN
& Co / N. York' is from the same
67 Chatham St. set, but is marked different from the knives shown above.
The pistol grip style of the saw
would point to Civil War period, but it also seen into the 1880's.
The '& Co. is the later
marking and post-Civil War
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A
later, post 1860's mark with more block font 'Tiemann & Co.' |
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A
post 1860's, but Pre-1900's mark with a script' Tiemann & Co.' on a
Liston bone forceps |
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An early 1860's mark with 'Tiemann & Co.'
in old English font on a Satterlee bone forceps |
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The
early c. 1850's old English script type mark of just 'Tiemann' |
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A
later, c. 1880's mark with a more blocked san serif style font mark and a
period after the name. |
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An early c. 1855, old English font 'Tiemann' script mark from an ivory set with the 63 Chatham St.
label. |
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Side
by side comparisons of the two Tiemann saws, the earlier ivory with
slotted blade and the later gutta percha type handle which is c. 1860. |
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The
gutta percha handled saw from a set without a label, but from the
script, it is assumed it is c. 1860. |
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| The images to
the right were provided by Dr. Joe Zeligs from a pocket surgery kit to
illustrate the range of Tiemann marks struck on a variety of instruments
during a relatively short time frame during the 1870's. Click on
the image to see a full size photo. |
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| Tiemann labeled leather
pocket kit which is absolutely from the 1861 time frame. See
documentation and expanded photos of this kit provided by owner
Fred Scott, Maryland |
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The bottom line is no one knows for
sure what the exact dates are for these instruments, but by comparing various
sets, one can deduce generalized dates. It's why looking at a lot of sets
is important to help figure out trends and how various sets were put together.
