A large and powerful and heavy cephalotribe. This brutal instrument was used as a lifesaving procedure (for the mother) in cases of arrested delivery when there was no other way of extracting the foetus.

The large clamps were used to crush the foetal skull which was then removed piecemeal. Dating to the mid to late 1800s 19th century this piece has lost much of its plating but has a very nice patina. Made and signed by Downs.

• From the Phisick collection