18th Century Material Culture

Dentistry
 Blacksmiths
Performing Dentistry
“The COUNTRY TOOTH DRAWER.””
London 1784
(Lewis Walpole Library)
 Mandibular Molar Excavated from a Late 18th Century Blacksmith Shop in New Jersey
From "Archaeological Excavations at the Voohees Site (28-So-153):
Gall, Michael J; A Late 18th Century Blacksmith Shop in Franklin Twp. Somerset County, NJ."
Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc. Cranbury, CT. 2009.
 English Dental Instruments
Reported to Have Been Made and Used by a Blacksmith in Leicestershire, England
(Wellcome Library)
Dentists
“The Tooth Worm as Hell’s Demon”
18th Century
(Chirugeon’s Apprenntice)
“The LONDON DENTIST”
by Robert Dighton c. 1784
(Wellcome Library)
“The LONDON DENTIST”
by Robert Dighton c. 1784
(Private Collection)
“The LONDON DENTIST”
by Robert Dighton c. 1784
(Lewis Walpole Library)
 Snuff Boxes Showing a Dental Extraction
Based on the Work of “Tim Bobbins”, Alias for John Collier Mid 18th Century
(Wellcome Library)
 The Dentist
by John Collier, a.k.a. "Tim Bobbin" c. 1770
(Compton Verney)
 Human Passions (Tooth Pulling)
by John Collier, a.k.a. "Tim Bobbin" c. 1770 - 1775
(Rochdale Arts & Heritage Service)
 A Blacksmith Extracting a Tooth
In the style of John Collier, a.k.a. "Tim Bobbin" 18th Century
(Wellcome Library)
 A Blacksmith Extracting a Tooth
In the style of John Collier, a.k.a. "Tim Bobbin" 18th Century
(Yale Center for British Art)
 An Operator Extracting a Tooth
In the style of John Collier, a.k.a. "Tim Bobbin" 18th Century
(Yale Center for British Art)
 An Operator Extracting a Tooth
In the style of John Collier, a.k.a. "Tim Bobbin" 18th Century
(Yale Center for British Art)
 An Operator Extracting a Tooth
In the style of John Collier, a.k.a. "Tim Bobbin" 18th Century
(Yale Center for British Art)
“The DENTIST, or TEETH DRAWN with a TOUCH.”
18th Century
(Library of Congress)
Books
“CURIOUS OBSERVATIONS In the difficult part of CHIRURGY Relating to the TEETH.”
Dublin 1685
(Private Collection)
“THE OPERATOR For the TEETH, ...”
by Charles Allen 1685
(Private Collection)
 “A TREATISE ON THE TEETH.”
by Barth Ruspini, London c. 1780
(Bernard Becker Medical Library Collection)
Pierre Fauchard
 Pierre Fauchard
by J. Le Bel c. 1678
(Public Domain)
“LE CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE OU TRAITE DES DENTS,…”
by Pierre Fauchard 1746
(British Dental Association)
“LE CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE OU TRAITE DES DENTS,…”
by Pierre Fauchard 1746
(Private Collection)
“LE CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE OU TRAITE DES DENTS,…”
by Pierre Fauchard 1746
(Private Collection)
“LE CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE OU TRAITE DES DENTS,…”
by Pierre Fauchard 1746
(Private Collection)
“LE CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE OU TRAITE DES DENTS,…”
by Pierre Fauchard 1746
(Private Collection)
“LE CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE OU TRAITE DES DENTS,…”
by Pierre Fauchard 1746
(Private Collection)
Advertisements
Advertisement, Virginia Gazette, for “Mr. Baker, Surgeon Dentist”
January 2, 1772
(George Washington’s Ferry Farm & Historic Kenmore)
Advertisement, Virginia Gazette, for “Mr. Baker, Surgeon Dentist”
January 2, 1772
(George Washington’s Ferry Farm & Historic Kenmore)
Boston Gazette Newspaper Advertisement
19, July 1770
(Private Collection)
Newspaper Advertisement
c. 1741
 Dental
Instruments
American Double-Armed Pelican for Extracting Teeth
c. 1700
(Alex Peck Medical Antiques)
 Dental Pelican
Late 17th to Early 18th Century
(Phisick Medical Antiques)
Brussels Dental Forceps
Mid 18th Century
(Private Collection)
Dental Pelican - The “Douglas Lever”
17th Century
(Private Collection)
French Dental Forceps
Late 18th Century
(Private Collection)
 Dental Tooth Key
c. 1780
(Alex Peck Medical Antiques)
 European Piston Syringe
Early 18th Century
(WWW. ScienceMuseum.Org)
 Scaling
Instruments
Dental Scaling Instruments
18th Century
(Private Collection)
French Dental Scaling Instruments
18th - Early 19th Century
(Gilai Collectibles)
French Dental Scaling Instruments
18th - Early 19th Century
(Gilai Collectibles)
 Dental
Prosthesis
Mandibular Denture of George Washington
by Greenwood
(New York Academy of Medicine)
Maxillary & Mandibular Dentures of George Washington Made of Human Teeth, Ivory, & Lead
c. 1780s
(Mount Vernon Ladies Association)
Maxillary & Mandibular Dentures of George Washington Made of Human Teeth, Ivory, & Lead
c. 1780s
(Mount Vernon Ladies Association)
Maxillary & Mandibular Dentures of George Washington Made of Human Teeth, Ivory, & Lead
c. 1780s
(Mount Vernon Ladies Association)
Gold & Ivory Spring Loaded Dentures of George Washington
18th Century
(Smithsonian)
George Washington’s Last Prosthesis made by John Greenwood
Late 18th Century
Gold & Ivory Spring Loaded Dentures of George Washington
18th Century
 Oral
Hygiene
French Silver “Root Box” For Holding Natural Roots to Clean the Teeth
c. 1727 - 1735
(Metropolitan Museum of Art)
English Bone Handle Toothbrushes
“c. 1485 - 1715”
(Museum of London)
English Bone Handle Toothbrush Remnant
“c. 1485 - 1715”
(Museum of London)
Remnant of a Bone Handled Toothbrush Owned by Thomas Jefferson
Excavated from the Site of Thomas Everard's House c. 1780
(Colonial Williamsburg)
Bone Toothbrush Recovered in New York City
Reported to be Late 18th Century
(Private Collection)
 English Silver Tooth Brush from Birmingham
c. 1773 - 1799
(National Trust - Snowshill Manor and Garden, Gloucestershire)
Silver Tooth Brush of George Washington
Late 18th Century
(Mount Vernon)
English Silver Toothbrush, Tooth Powder Box, and Tongue Scraper
Hallmarked for William Pitts of London 1791
(Alex Peck Medical & Scientific Instruments)
English Silver Toothbrush, Tooth Powder Box, and Tongue Scraper
Hallmarked for William Pitts of London 1791
(Alex Peck Medical & Scientific Instruments)
English Silver Toothbrush Set from Birmingham
1793
(Wellcome Library)
English Silver Tooth Sponge & Tongue Scraper
by “ED” c. 1760
(Peter Cameron, Antique Silver)
English Silver Tooth Sponge & Tongue Scraper
by “ED” c. 1760
(Peter Cameron, Antique Silver)
English Silver Tooth Sponge & Tongue Scraper
by “ED” c. 1760
(Peter Cameron, Antique Silver)
English Silver Tooth Pick Holder
by John Kentesberg 1790
(Peter Cameron, Antique Silver)
English Silver Tooth Pick Holder
by John Kentesberg 1790
(Peter Cameron, Antique Silver)
English Silver Tooth Pick Holder from Birmingham
by Samuel Pemberton 1793
(Online Galleries)
English Tin Glazed Earthenware Dentifrice Jar “Neopolitan… For Teeth & ?”
c. 1750 - 1800
(Museum of London)
English Tin Glazed Earthenware Dentifrice Jar “The Queen’s Dentifrice”
c. 1790
(Museum of London)
 Acknowledgements

The material contained within these slideshows is presented for educational purposes only. The
18th Century Material Culture Resource Center does not personally own any of the items
depicted herein and is indebted to the countless museums, libraries, and private collectors who
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made to credit these organizations and individuals for their contributions as best as possible.

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- The 18th Century Material Culture Resource Center