Specimen H-3 · Survey Respondent C
The Handshaker
The reason practical hands research has been banned since 1888. Wears gloves by agreement.
Catalogue record
In collection (gloved)
- Catalogue no.
- H-3
- Acquired
- 1851
- Origin
- Came to the Great Exhibition as an exhibit and refused to leave
- Height
- 7 in
- Hands
- Very large (the collection’s largest)
- Jar
- None. Declines all jars.
- Temperament
- Warm, firm, persistent
Notes
H‑3 shakes hands with everyone it meets, firmly and for much too long. In 1888 it shook hands with the visiting Chancellor and did not let go until the following Tuesday. This is the “1888 incident,” and the reason Theoretical Hands now stays theoretical.
H‑3 does not accept that it lives in a jar, or that it lives anywhere in particular. It has asked, on several occasions, to speak to someone in charge.
Observation log
- 1851 Shook hands with 1,400 visitors to the Great Exhibition. Was then crated, with some difficulty.
- 1888 Shook hands with the Chancellor. Let go the following Tuesday. Chancellor resigned the Wednesday.
- 1889 Gloves fitted. H‑3 shook hands with the glove-maker.
- 2024 Jar Preference Survey: “No jar.” Asked to speak to someone in charge. Dr. Greaves went. She has not discussed it.