Unusual mechanical urological bistoury scalpel with a crosshatched ebony handle. The curved angle of the blade is adjustable with an ingenious mechanism.

It was invented by the renowned Prof Pietro Loreta (1831-1889) of the Bologna University. Two factories in Bologna, Fratelli Lollini first, and Ditta Enrico Bergamini after, manufactured those items, starting in 1870 circa.

• From the Phisick collection