Lock of hair of Ludwig van Beethoven

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Description: A lock of grey hair. Mounted in a jewel-encrusted case with a glass covering. Accompanied by unsigned and undated attestation as well as a smaller note dated April 1875 and signed by Frau Friederike Theile.
Names: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827 (Contributor); Theile, Friederike (Former owner); Beethoven Association (New York, N.Y.) (Former owner)
Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1827 (Inferred)
Library locations: Music Division; Shelf locator: Music Division - Beethoven's hair
Topics: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827 -- Relics
Genres: Hair; Documents
Notes: Biographical/historical: Taking a lock of hair as a keepsake in memory of those who died was not uncommon in the 19th century. Shortly after Beethoven's death on March 26, 1827, many visitors took a clipping of the composer's hair so that by the time of his funeral on March 29, most of his hair had been removed. (Information from Beethoven's hair (New York: Broadway Books, 2000) / Russell Martin.); Ownership: Presumably the lock of hair was owned by the Beethoven Association which, upon its dissolution in 1940, donated it with other materials to the New York Public Library.
Physical Description: Extent: Approximately 30 strands + 2 notes ; 17.7 x 23 cm, 8.8 x 13 cm
Type of Resource: Three dimensional object; Text
Identifiers: RLIN/OCLC: 1078701538; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b21706307; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): bd4f3d90-e5d2-0136-9dac-6d97dc2fd4eb

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