Adrian Flatt Orthopedic surgeon Country: USA

1. Adrian Flatt: The Surgeon Collecting Bronze Hands
2. Presidential Hands
3. Dispelling Myths
4. The Creation Process

Adrian Flatt: The Surgeon Collecting Bronze Hands

Adrian Flatt, a 76-year-old orthopedic surgeon from Dallas, has an unusual hobby – collecting human hands. Well, not amputated ones, but rather bronze replicas. His collection boasts over 80 pairs of hands, including those of seven presidents and ten astronauts.

Presidential Hands

Flatt began his collection of presidential hands in 1963 when he approached Dwight D. Eisenhower with a request to make molds of the "first fingers" of the United States, to which he received approval. That same year, Flatt had molds made of Harry Truman's hands, followed by all subsequent US presidents, excluding John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and, currently, Bill Clinton. "Just like with people, it's rare to find hands that are exact replicas," Flatt claims. "You could never mistake the elegant fingers of pianist Van Cliburn or magician David Copperfield."

Dispelling Myths

At the same time, the surgeon's collection debunks the myth that musicians must have long and slender fingers. "Just take a look at the hands of guitarist Andres Segovia. They're more like sausages than fingers," Flatt jokes, highlighting the diversity of hand shapes and sizes.

The Creation Process

Flatt crafts the exhibits for his collection using shoeboxes filled with dental plaster used by dentists for prosthetics. However, sometimes the original hands are so unique that he must find more suitable containers. For example, he repurposed a Stetson hat box to accommodate the massive hands of the famous wrestler Andre the Giant.

Overall, Adrian Flatt's collection of bronze hands is a testament to his passion for preserving and appreciating the diversity of human anatomy.