Artifact Highlights

Helen Keller's Desk

Photo ID: hkdesk

Helen Keller's desk, used for writing and daily correspondence.

Helen Keller's Braille Writer

Photo ID: brlwrtr

Helen Keller's braille writer. Presented by the Royal Society for the Blind, 1946.

Helen Keller's Typewriter

Photo ID: typewriter

Helen Keller's portable typewriter, made by Smith-Corona, n.d.

Helen Keller's Oscar Award

Photo ID: oscar

A gilt and silver plated statuette of the Oscar Award. Presented in 1955 for "Helen Keller in Her Story."

Helen Keller's Presidential Medal of Freedom

Photo ID: medaloffreedom

The highest civilian award in the United States, presented by Lyndon Baines Johnson on September 14, 1964. The medal is on a collar of blue, white and purple ribbon. The velvet lined presentation box also contains a miniature replica of the ribbon, a uniform ribbon, and a buttonhole ribbon.

Learn more about this artifact on the Digital Helen Keller Archive.

Bronze Sculpture

Photo ID: oxen

A bronze sculpture of a man and an ox team, presented by the Chile Association for the Blind, May 1953.

Terra Cotta Sculpture

Photo ID: whitmanhead

The head of Walt Whitman in profile by Jo Davidson. It is signed "To Helen Keller, Jo Davidson, June 1950."

Incense Burner

Photo ID: HK Japanese Incence Burner

A white graduated triple bowled filigree incense burner with leaves and peony flowers. Presented in Japan, n.d.

Silver Incense Burner

Photo ID: smburner

A silver incense burner with a filigree design of two phoenixes and kiri wood leaves.

Presented by the Empress of Japan, 1937.

Carved Shell

Photo ID: shell

A fully carved mother of pearl shell with several abalone and pearl inlays in the design of a dragon. Presented by the people of Japan, 1964.

Water Color, Japan 1948

Photo ID: wtrclr

The cover of a collection of water color and crayon drawings, presented in Japan, 1948.