A look inside the mind of Jack Ruby, literally: Heritage Auctions offers Ruby's brain scan

Oct. 13, 2009

Posted by Noah

What is a seemingly innocuous little lot in the Nov. 6-7 20th Century Icons Auction at Heritage Auctions is actually one of the more intriguing lots in what is, in my humble and unbiased opinion, an auction full of absolutely stellar stuff.

The picture you see to your right is an actual x-ray of Jack Ruby's brain, taken when he was diagnosed with cancer. The nurse who took it, and consigned it to Heritage Auctions, was allowed to have it because the scan was not an exact match to the other side of Ruby's brain, and therefore rendered inutile. Now, more than 40 years later, it is a small piece of the larger puzzle that is still the most significant event of the second half of the 20th Century.

Ruby is one of those figures that has remained absolutely enigmatic since his infamous deed, and any connection to him - and the conspiracy theories that he represents - always gets people talking, and here Heritage Auctions has an actual, physical look inside his brain. Can you say creepy and compelling? Creepelling? Comcreepy?

The Ruby x-ray is going up at Heritage Auctions alongside the fedora (stylish!) that Ruby wore when he shot Oswald ("Follow the hat") and the shackles that were around his ankles at the time of his death from cancer, not to deter him from escaping, mind you, but to deter would-be body snatchers.

There's also a detailed grouping surrounding his arrest and, perhaps most spectacularly - certainly one of the single greatest things I've ever seen - Heritage Auctions is offering a signed front page Dallas Morning News morning edition form 11/22/1965, that was signed by JKF himself in Ft. Worth before he got on a plane to come to Love Field. Serioulsy. It's worthy of a blog post of its own, which it will get a little closer to the auction.

For now, however, the focus of this post is on Ruby's brain. Heritage Auctions is offering this truly unique piece - certainly the only one of its kind - from one of the most infamous players in the whole JFK scenario. Perhaps someone will buy it and save it for thousands of years until the technology exists to actually read the thoughts that I know are embedded in the x-ray. I've read about such things in many comic books, so don't tell me it's not possible...

Heritage Auctions has put a pre-sale estimate on it at $1,000. Somehow, though, I reckon it's going to go a little higher than that.

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-Noah Fleisher