Lincoln's hand

Leonard Wells Volk (1828-1895)
Cast of Abraham Lincoln's right hand.
Bronze
Rare Book & Special Collections Division
Gift of Alfred Whital Stern, 1953 (51.6)

Shortly after Lincoln was nominated for the presidency, Chicago sculptor Leonard Volk cast the nominee's hands at the Lincoln home in Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln's right hand had become swollen after shaking the hands of countless well-wishers in his hometown. When Volk suggested that his subject hold something, Lincoln sawed off a portion of a broom stick, which is visible in the casting.