Description

A fine example of a scarce American, mid-19th-century, amputation saw with a gilt-brass handle and frame cast in the Baroque style. The frame is lightly struck “GOULDING & CO/NEW YORK ” on both sides. Total length: 13.75″ or 34 cm. approx. There are  lines of light corrosion where the blade joins the frame; o/w the saw is in very good condition. The original gilding remains remarkably bright after more than a century and a half. Dating from the 1840s/1850s, the pistol-grip form of the saw is typical  of those produced by Goulding during this period. Saws made by Goulding generally had ebony handles but the firm also produced examples with ivory or decorated metal handles. The latter were seldom as handsomely cast and gilded as this one–see, for example, Edmondson’s AMERICAN SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS (1997: plate 97). These metal- frame saws were presumably more durable than their wooden or ivory counterparts. Goulding’s work was held in very high regard by his contemporaries. According to Edmundson, “Testimonies by Goulding’s patrons may have helped sell the instruments to prospective clients but they do not adequately convey the caliber of the work he did in the 1840s…In some Goulding amputation cases one encounters craftsmanship that rivals the work of London surgical instrument makers (1997:75).” A nearly-identical saw was offered some years ago by Tesseract ( catalog #70, item 60)–see last image.