American History: Premier Auction

Lot comprised of wallpaper from Ford's Theatre, Box 7, where Lincoln was assassinated, a sizable piece of lace curtain from the rear of Box 7, along with a piece of "ground cloth" covering the stage, all framed together with a card of provenance stating: "From the Porter Collection which was exhibited for a while in the Gunther Museum," continuing with a description of the items. Accompanied by a matted piece of wood from Ford's Theatre. 

The wallpaper, measuring approximately 2.5 x 3 in., is a section of the vine motif rather than the floral section. A small section of the wallpaper has been rebacked and aligned with the larger segment. Lace curtain measures approximately 6 x 4 in. and differs slightly in appearance from the more familiar front lace curtain of Nottingham lace. Lace is laid atop a piece of ground cloth covering from the apron of Ford's Theatre stage, 7.5 x 4.5 in. Items are matted and framed with souvenir postcard and provenance, 19.5 x 12.5 in. 

Block of wood with partial nail exposed, 2 x 2 x 1.75 in., from the original 1863 construction of Ford's Theatre. Block obtained during the 1965-66 renovation of the interior of the building and may have come from the original wooded roof trusses. Attached to an 8 x 12 in. mat above an early postcard of Ford's Theatre with "Wood From Ford's Theatre" inscribed in ink below image. 

Charles F. Gunther (1837-1920), the "P. T. Barnum of Chicago," was a German-born businessman who amassed a fortune after the Civil War, and became a prominent collector of historical artifacts. Lincolniana was a particular collecting focus for Gunther, who had the former Libby Prison dismantled in Richmond, Virginia, and shipped to Chicago where it was rebuilt and repurposed as a museum for Gunther's extensive collections which included Lincoln's deathbed. After Gunther's death, his artifact collection was purchased by the Chicago Historical Society and later permanently housed at the Chicago History Museum.