As Seen on eBay

Abraham Lincoln Signature on Appointment Document for Patent Office

Abraham Lincoln frequently signed letters and documents with the familiar abbreviation, "A. Lincoln." A document with a full signature ("Abraham Lincoln") is listed on eBay for $21,000 with offers accepted.

The autograph is from a document dated May 7, 1861. In it, Abraham Lincoln appoints Joseph J. Coombs of the District of Columbia as Examiner-in-Chief of the US Patent Office. The document is 13-1/4" x 17" and is framed. Lincoln's signature is about 3" long. The document is also signed by Caleb Smith, Secretary of the Interior.

see original eBay listing

 

Artist's Proof Engraving: Lincoln Reads the Emancipation Proclamation to His Cabinet

"Finally, came the week of the battle of Antietam. I determined to wait no longer. The news came, I think, on Wednesday, that the advantage was on our side. I was then staying at the Soldier's Home (three miles out of Washington). Here I finished writing the second draft of the preliminary proclamation; came up on Saturday; called the Cabinet together to hear it, and it was published the following Monday."

That's Abraham Lincoln's account of his reading the Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet, as told in F. B. Carpenter's account of his staying at the White House to capture this historic moment on canvas, Six Months at the White House.

A signed original 1866 artist's proof engraving of this reading of the Emancipation Proclamation failed to meet the reserve price on eBay on August 14, 2009. The highest bid received was $2,125. It is now for sale on eBay as a Buy It Now for $2,250.

see the original listing on eBay

Francis Bicknell Carpenter painted "The First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation" in 1864. Thereafter, he commissioned Alexander Hay Ritchie to make an engraving of the painting. The eBay listing notes this about the painting itself:

The positioning of the Cabinet members betrays their political positions: Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton were early supporters of the proclamation and were therefore placed closer to the President. Carpenter placed the more conservative members of the Cabinet farther to Lincoln's left. The moment depicted in the engraving is just after President Lincoln has completed reading the proposed Emancipation Proclamation to the Cabinet and Secretary of State William H. Seward is counseling that it not be issued until the Union can claim some success on the battlefield.

The original artist's proof listed on eBay is an engraving on paper, 28-1/2" x 38-1/2"; image is, 21" x 32"; framed dimensions are 34-3/4" x 44-3/4". It is signed in the bottom corners: "F. B. Carpenter" and "A. H. Ritchie."

 

Abraham Lincoln was the first subscriber for a signed, artist's proof of the engraved version, but he did not live to receive it. Instead, when it was published in early 1866, the first signed, artist's proof was presented to Mary Lincoln. It now hangs in Robert Todd Lincoln's study at Hildene, in Manchester, Vermont.

Carpenter's original painting now hangs in the U.S. Capitol, outside of the Senate Chamber.

Abraham Lincoln "Link to Lincoln" Batman Card

There is more to Lincoln on sports cards than I thought. I recently wrote about a really great baseball card made by Upper Deck (2008 SP Legendary Cuts "Hair Cut Signatures" card). The card featured the full signature of Abraham Lincoln (not the abbreviated "A. Lincoln" that Lincoln commonly scribed), as well as a cutting of his hair.

I just discovered a 1966 Batman card depicting Batman in front of the Lincoln Memorial. It's the A & BC Batman "Link to Lincoln" series A #17A card, now on sale on eBay for $160 (PSA 9).

see original eBay listing

If you've seen the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, you know that Abraham Lincoln was suspected to be Batman.

The real scoop, though, is on artist retoyman's blog. Click the picture below to go to his blog to see a really nice image. I've deliberately put a small one here to encourage you to click through to his blog.

 

(I bought a Lincoln painting from him and really like it. Retoyman sells on eBay from time to time.)

Upper Deck SP Legendary Hair Cuts: Lincoln for $20K

A truly unique find: card number 1 of 1. The Upper Deck 2008 SP Legendary Cuts "Hair Cut Signatures" card. The card features a small piece of Abraham Lincoln's hair as well as a cutting of his signature. Lincoln usually signed documents with his famous "A. Lincoln" autograph, but this one is the longer version, "Abraham Lincoln."

The card is listed for $21,400, but the seller (beckettmedia) is considering best offers.

[May 9, 2009 update: This card sold for $17,500. The best part: My friend bought it! I'll get to see it soon.]

see the original eBay listing

Like me, you may never get to splurge on something like this, but click through to the eBay listing to check it out for yourself. It's total eye candy!