Abraham Lincoln is one of America’s most revered U.S. Presidents. Collectors who love history can actually buy or bid on many items which were tied to Lincoln’s presidency. His assassination was one of the critical moments in U.S. history, and a key piece of that history is now up for auction.
The signature Americana and political Auction by Heritage Auctions is September 25-26. The collections offered include The Mahoney collection of George Washington inaugural buttons. A collection this important has broad offerings and Collectors Dashboard took notice of the rare and one of a kind Abraham Lincoln items included in this announcement.
A newspaper in bold letters offers a $100,000 reward for the assassins and conspirators by name of Abraham Lincoln issued by the U.S. War Department, April 20, 1865. The current bid in a time when many items have no bids is $25,000.00. (Image below by Heritage Auctions)
Sotheby’s auctioned off a nearly identical example of the paper in April, 2021 for $214,000.00. The differences in papers are visually striking. The Heritage Auction newspaper has three portrait spaces for the wanted individuals at the top left blank. For the Sotheby’s Auction a gelatin silver print photographs of Booth, Surratt and Herold were added in the early 20th Century according to Heritage in the current Auction listing. The Heritage Auctions has a more original example of the paper.
Collectors Dashboard evaluates collectibles as an alternative asset class. The same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds is being used to buy high-end collectibles. Collectors of presidential items tend to own pieces for quite a long time, and the prices that will take to win these auctions will automatically be more money than most people invest in stocks or bonds.
Three strands of the president’s hair are also being offered. The opening bid is $2,000.00 and the provenance according to Heritage Auctions were these strands are not associated with the assassination and were instead given to a woman who collected hair from 19th century political figures; given as a token of friendship between the Lincoln family and wright who was married to the governor of Indiana Joseph A. Wright. The hair stayed in the family until a 1992 Christie’s Auction and again as part of the Forbes Collection in 2002. The Forbes 2002 sale sold for $8,365.00 on October 8, 2002.
An Abraham Lincoln 1860 Campaign Parade Banner with an opening bid of $15,000.00. Heritage Auctions listing expresses that because of the size of the banner it does not get much better than this concerning Abraham Lincoln collectibles. It’s hand painted by partisan women who were prevented from voting in the presidential election wanting to make a contribution to a candidate they supported. The banner reads: “Providence Republican Club. For President. Abraham Lincoln. For Vice President Hannibal Hamlin. Free Thought! Free Speech Free Homes Free Men Presented by a number of the Ladies of Providence. ‘We’ve scanned the actions of their daily lives with All the industrious malice of a foe and nothing meets Our Eyes but deeds of honor.’ Our Whole Country Liberty & Union”
Also at auction is an Abraham Lincoln Wooden Parade Ax. It was carried by members of the Wide Awakes marching club in support of Lincoln the candidate in 1860. Starting bid for the object $10,000.00 with provenance that includes a note affixed to the other side of the actual man who carried it, a Mr John E. Edmunds. According to Heritage, the political organization was militarized in appearance carrying red and blue lanterns by military officers in special uniform. Heritage Auctions expresses that they are personally aware of no more than six other existing wooden parade axes from 1860.
Among the most desirable of Lincoln collectibles according to Heritage Auctions is the Lincoln portrait flag. With fading in appearance the listing expresses that these rarely appear in the market. A “Holy Grail” in the world of political textiles according to Heritage Auctions. As the listing describes, no Lincoln collection is truly complete without at least one example. Starting bid fro the flag is $7,500.00.
Another item up for grabs is a Alexander Hesler albumen photograph by George Ayres. This is of Lincoln with a starting bid of $750.00. The photograph was originally taken by George Ayres on June 3, 1860. In 1933, the original negatives were broken while being shipped by the U.S. mail to Washington D.C. and Heritage notes that ones of this size are rare at 20″ x 26″. The provenance of the item is the comment about it by Lincoln’s very own law partner William H. Herndon. The photograph was printed from the original negatives he acquired from Hesler after the civil war. The album dates to the 1880s according to the listing.
These items listed by Heritage Auctions capture an opportunity that no serious collector of Abraham Lincoln can pass up or overlook. The items as expressed by Heritage Auctions do not come to auction often and each has a high degree of rarity. Unfortunately the days of finding strands of Abraham Lincoln’s hair in your local antique stop are behind us.
