Felling ax, ca. 1860
New Hampshire attorney James Edgerly (1846–1903) collected true crime murder weapons, including this felling ax head, reportedly used by Louis Wagner in the murders of Karen and Anethe Christensen. On loan from the Portsmouth Athenaeum.Maine Historical Society
Collecting items related to true crime and notorious figures is a popular pastime. Common in the nineteenth century as well as today, autograph collectors scour the market for items written in the hands of infamous figures like John Wilkes Booth and Lizzie Borden.
Collected memorabilia, such as items from crime scenes or pieces affiliated with a specific person, also represent the public’s fascination with true crime. In some instances, collected pieces demonstrate the impact a crime has on the community and the power of memory. Symbols might be used in advertising, as cultural references, or as souvenirs which indicate a crime’s lasting influence.
Whether they are items created by suspects or victims, pieces about crime, or items used to commit crime, crime memorabilia takes all manner of shapes and sizes.