Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) attracted much attention as a child prodigy in Poland, but during his adult years in France, he rarely played the piano in public. Instead, he concentrated on composition, teaching, and private performances in the salons of Paris, attaining great success in all three areas.
The provenance of this cast of his hand is unknown.

In 2010, the Gilmore Library marked Chopin’s bicentenary with an exhibit entitled “Hats Off, Gentlemen—A Genius”: Chopin at 200. It featured the manuscript of his Polonaise, Op. 71, no. 3, a letter he wrote shortly before his death, and a wide variety of other items.