American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques

Surgical Set collection from 1860 to 1865 - Civilian and Military

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by Collector & Preserver:   Douglas Arbittier, MD, MBA

 

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George Tiemann & Co. Instrument Maker Marks & Labels

Information to help date Tiemann instruments

 

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.

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   

 

    

1833 to 1850's logo range 

Instruments marked 'Tiemans' is the earliest spelling, then 'Tiemann'  which pre-dates those marked 'Tiemann & Co.'

 

 tiemann11.jpg (47847 bytes) 

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

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.)

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.

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

 

A later, post 1860's mark with more block font 'Tiemann & Co.'

A post 1860's, but Pre-1900's mark with a script' Tiemann & Co.' on a Liston bone forceps

An early 1860's mark with 'Tiemann & Co.' in old English font on a Satterlee bone forceps

The early c. 1850's old English script type mark of just 'Tiemann'

A later, c. 1880's mark with a more blocked san serif style font mark and a period after the name.

An early c. 1855, old English font 'Tiemann' script mark from an ivory set with the 63 Chatham St. label.

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.

The gutta percha handled saw from a set without a label, but from the script, it is assumed it is c. 1860.

 

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.

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

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.

 

 

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Featuring the Collections and Museum of Medical Antiques

by Collector & Preserver:   Douglas Arbittier, MD, MBA

 

Follow on Instagram @medical.antiques

 

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Last update: Monday, July 22, 2024