Iron Hand - Prosthetic Arm

Right hand and forearm of dark tempered steel) c. 1575-1625. According to legend the arm of Royal Secretary Olof Sverkersson Elfkarl, in office during the reign of Swedish kings Johan III, Sigismund and Karl IX. Olof Sverkersson was called Olof Turncoat in many parts of the country and in Finland (which was a part of Sweden at that time) they called him Olof Perkelson, i.e. Olof Son of the Devil. The arm was included in the Skokloster collection in the 1750’s when a substantial amount of objects were transferred from Salsta manor, previously owned by the Bielke family, to Skokloster. The arm had been in the Bielke armoury “since time immemorial”.