Description:

**Originally Listed At $200**

Northwestern Europe, England, 18th to 19th century CE. An interesting pewter syringe comprised of three pieces: a main tube with a narrow nozzle, a lid that fits onto the threaded tube, and a rod-shaped plunger. The exterior of the tube is incised with three lines to denote dosage measurements. The plunger has an integral ring top and operates much like a modern-day syringe; pressure applied to the plunger pushes the rod through the lid opening and into the main tube. Early syringes were devised for irrigation of different body orifices such as the throat, nose, and below the waist for sexually transmitted diseases. Injecting mercury into reproductive organs with these syringes was a common practice to treat diseases such as syphilis, which lead to the proverb: "A night in the arms of Venus leads to a lifetime on Mercury." Size: 4.6" L x .75" W (11.7 cm x 1.9 cm)

Provenance: ex-estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA acquired before 2000

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#158476

  • Condition: Lid unscrews from main tube easily. The plunger moves freely up and down. Age and use expected wear with nicks and surface scratches.

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December 29, 2021 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000