Accession No
6135
Brief Description
set of 29 papier mâché zoological models of horses’ teeth, in fitted box, by Louis Thomas Jérôme Auzoux, French, 1890
Origin
France; Saint-Aubin-d'Écrosville [attributed]
Maker
Auzoux, Louis Thomas Jérôme
Class
demonstration; biology
Earliest Date
1890
Latest Date
1890
Inscription Date
1890
Material
Paper (papier mâche); plaster; wood (oak); paper; metal (steel, brass)
Dimensions
Length 750mm; width 400mm; height 250mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from a private dealer, St Christoly de Blaye, France on or before 22/06/2007.
Inscription
“ANATOMIE CLASTIQUE
du Docteur AUZOUX
FRAGILE” (outside of box, centre)
“Anatomie Clastique
du Dr Auzoux
1890” (inside box, top left)
Description Notes
Set of 29 papier mâché zoological models of horses’ teeth, in fitted box, by Auzoux, French, 1890.
Teeth are articulated painted papier-mache and plaster.
Original wooden case is held closed by two metal hooks. It opens out to reveal four rows of spaces for sets on each side. All rows contain four spaces, apart from the bottom right row which has only three. On lower edge of each row a hinged wooden flap holds teeth in place. Unfastening the hook of this flap enables it to be raised so that the sets, lying otherwise loose in the box, can be lifted out. Each set has two labels relating to it: a number below it and a brief description above it.
Teeth demonstrate the appearance of horses teeth over different ages, the effects of wind sucking and crib biting, and the fraudulent ways of making a horse seem older or younger by the appearance its teeth.
Condition: good.
2 sets missing at time of purchase.
Makers inscription inside box has been altered, from what appears to be 1889 to 1890. I would suggest this is contemporary with the object, where the case was perhaps made the previous year, but the date updated as the set was finished. (RH 22/07/2008)
References
Events
Description
This wooden case holds twenty-nine sets of papier-mâché models of teeth that Louis Thomas Jérôme Auzoux (1797–1880) produced to instruct on the age of a horse. Originally comprised of thirty-one models, the examples depict an idealized representation of a healthy aging horse, as well as cases of diseased, malformed and manipulated teeth. The primary way that dealers, veterinarians and cavalry-men gauged the age and worth of a horse was by the state of the animal’s teeth. Dishonest horse-dealers could manipulate teeth to make the animal more desirable for market; however, Auzoux’s set was most likely not used by those in the horse-dealing trade as the cost of such models was prohibitive. Institutions, such as veterinary and military schools, purchased animal anatomy sets by Auzoux for training purposes. This particular collection was owned by a French lycée for the instruction of their secondary school pupils as knowledge about horse health was important to nineteenth-century French economy.
05/11/2013
Created by: Allison Ksiazkiewicz on 05/11/2013
FM:46604
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