• Title
  [Fleam, or bloodletting knife] The parting gift of F. J. Byerley to W. J. Wills on his departure on the Burke and Wills Expedition ..., [1860?]
• Call number
  R 287
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  ca. 1860
• Type of material
  Graphic Materials, Objects
• Reference code
  404876
• Issue Copy
  Digitised
• Physical Description
  1 fleam (bloodletting instrument) - comprising 3 folding steel blades with fleam teeth in 3 sizes, 1 tweezer, and 1 bodkin all in brass case with bone facings - 8.4 cm. x 1.5 cm. x 3.1 cm. (overall dimensions); fleam teeth 17 mm., 15 mm., and 12 mm. wide at base, and 12 mm., 11 mm., and 10 mm. deep - Tweezer and bodkin stored in slots in one facing. Other facing has a slot, now empty, approx. 1 cm. x 4.4 cm.
  
• Collection history
  The knife was given to F.H. Hobler, the donor's father Reference: Mitchell Library In-Letters
• Access Conditions
  
  Access via appointment
• Copying Conditions
  Out of copyright
• General note
  
  The accompanying label was written by Mr Byerley ca. 1864.
  
  Reference:
  Mitchell Library In-Letters
  
  Identified as a fleam by Mr Littlejohn, Library patron, Jan. 1984. Previously catalogued as a pocket knife. A fleam is a blade or set of blades having a triangular fleam tooth, used for letting blood; in this application, for bleeding horses and other livestock
  
  Originally catalogued as having wooden facings; identified as bone by Preservation staff, Mar 2006
  Digital order no:Album ID : 934949
• Signatures / Inscriptions
  
  "The parting gift of F. J. Byerley to W. J. Wills on his departure on the Burke and Wills Expedition - Abandoned by Wills and found by J. McKinlay in Central Australia, given by McKinlay to Byerley and by him to F. H. Hobler, a personal friend of all here named." -- typed label accompanying the knife
  "Borwick cast steel" -- stamped on each blade
• Name
  Wills, William John, 1834-1861
  
• Topic
  penknives
  tools
  
• Exhibited in
  
  Learning Services Program display 2014-2015 - State Library of New South Wales (1 January, 2014 - 1 January, 2015)
  Artefact or Fiction: Curriculum highlights, 18 April 2019 to 20 April 2020 - State Library of New South Wales (April 2019 - April 2020)
  Kill or Cure? A Taste of Medicine - State Library of New South Wales (July, 2022 - January, 2023)

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