Trephanation kit on eBay

David Pescovitz 8:03 am Wed May 10, 2006

This magnificent trephination set, circa 1750, is up for auction on eBay right now. Trephination is an ancient surgical procedure where a hole is drilled in the skull. (Here's an article I wrote back in 1998 for Boing Boing Digital about modern day people who undergo elective trepanation for kicks.) This stately set of tools is housed in a velvet-lined oak case. The current bid is $5,500 but the reserve has not been met. From the auction description:

2 TREPHINES (LARGE AND SMALL) WITH KEY FOR THE FOUR-SIDED LOCATING PINS

2 LENTICULARS (ONE ROUND, ONE PENTAGONAL), THE ROUND HEADED ONE MONOGRAMMED BY THE OWNER J.A.D.

A PERFORATOR (ALSO MONOGRAMMED J.A.D.)

2 ELEVATORS (ONE HINGED TO ROTATE AND FLEX AGAINST A FABRIC OVER STEEL HEAD BRACE!)

AN EVEN RARER COMBINED NASAL? SPECULUM WITH RASP-LIKE INTERIOR TO GRASP FOREIGN BODIES marked "MIGDEN"

AN IVORY BONE BRUSH

Link (Thanks, Michael-Anne Rauback!)

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