From the sixteenth century to the early twentieth century there are paintings and other records of performers whose acts consisted in part of tooth extractions. In the seventeenth century, travelling actors worked in troupes as a support act to specialist toothdrawers who themselves formed part of the entertainment. These operators often had craft skills, experience, and expensive specialist instruments such as those shown on the table in this painting. Because they worked outside the guild system of locally established surgeons, the latter often tried to protect their own business by dubbing the interlopers as charlatans or quacks and taking them to court. However, these travelling performers carried out a useful service, were often brilliant entertainers, and were therefore a very popular and welcome presence at fairs and markets.