Death Mask of William Burke

myminifactory

This death mask captures William Burke, the partner-in-crime of William Hare who gained notoriety for their brutal murders in Edinburgh back in 1827 - a total of at least 16 lives lost to their hands. The duo would often supply Robert Knox's dissection room at Surgeons' Square with bodies they'd acquired, trading them for cash. The anatomy schools in Edinburgh were facing an unprecedented shortage of cadavers at the start of the 19th century, creating a lucrative market that Burke and Hare exploited until their arrest in November 1828. This death mask was crafted from Burke's likeness after his execution, with visible noose marks on his neck serving as a grim reminder of his fate.