A rare 18th century bistoury cache, literally hidden knife, used for lithotomy which involved cutting into the bladder to remove stones.

The asymmetrical polyfaceted ebony handle when rotated would limit the extension of the blade by varying amounts. Each face of the handle is numbered. This instrument as shown in Bennion p 64 is the same as Frère Côme’s Bistoury held in the Royal College of Surgeons. There is a similar instrument in display in the Wellcome Museum.

• From the Phisick collection