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LINCOLN, Abraham, President. BRADY, Matthew B., photographer. Carte-de-visite photograph signed ("A Lincoln"), taken BY MATTHEW B. BRADY in Washington, D.C., 8 January 1864. BOLDLY SIGNED BY LINCOLN IN DARK INK on lower portion of the albumen. Hamilton & Ostendorf, Lincoln in Photographs, O-87.
A very fine Lincoln signed carte-de-visite, with Brady imprints. This particular image was one of the very few photographs of Lincoln which the subject found not objectionable. Of it, Lincoln wrote: "I don't know that I have any favorite portrait of myself; but I have thought that if I looked like any of the likenesses of me that have been taken, I look most like that one." Perhaps because Lincoln did not object to this portrait, several signed examples are known: one was in the Ostendorf Collection (Hamilton & Ostendorf, p.253); another was sold at Christie's sale of Photographic Masterworks, 23 April 1990. lot 5, $45,000; a third was in the M. Wesley Marans Collection (illustrated in Sincerely Yours, titlepage), but not part of the sale of the collection at Christie's, 17 April 1996.
Provenance: "Mr. Hay," inscribed in pencil on back, with framing instructions. The carte, when consigned, was in an early 20th century mat and frame with labels of a New York framer, Moore Gallery. It is tempting to speculate that this might indicate ownership by the family of John Hay (1838-1905), Lincoln's Secretary, or a relation.
A very fine Lincoln signed carte-de-visite, with Brady imprints. This particular image was one of the very few photographs of Lincoln which the subject found not objectionable. Of it, Lincoln wrote: "I don't know that I have any favorite portrait of myself; but I have thought that if I looked like any of the likenesses of me that have been taken, I look most like that one." Perhaps because Lincoln did not object to this portrait, several signed examples are known: one was in the Ostendorf Collection (Hamilton & Ostendorf, p.253); another was sold at Christie's sale of Photographic Masterworks, 23 April 1990. lot 5, $45,000; a third was in the M. Wesley Marans Collection (illustrated in Sincerely Yours, titlepage), but not part of the sale of the collection at Christie's, 17 April 1996.
Provenance: "Mr. Hay," inscribed in pencil on back, with framing instructions. The carte, when consigned, was in an early 20th century mat and frame with labels of a New York framer, Moore Gallery. It is tempting to speculate that this might indicate ownership by the family of John Hay (1838-1905), Lincoln's Secretary, or a relation.