Abraham Lincoln
[LINCOLN, Abraham (1809-1865)]. HESLER, Alexander (1823-1895), photographer. Mammoth plate platinum photograph of Abraham Lincoln. George B. Ayres, printer, 1897.

20 x 16 in. platinum photograph on thick mount. Inscribed on verso, "Copyright 1897, George B. Ayres, Philadelphia, Print No. 34., Aug. 1898."

The photograph was printed by George B. Ayres in 1881 directly from the original negative by Alexander Hesler, taken at Springfield, IL, 3 June 1860, [Ostendorf, O-26].

This is one of four known portraits of Lincoln taken by Hesler on 3 June 1860, at the old Capitol Building in Springfield, IL, two weeks after Lincoln's nomination for President by the Republican National Convention in Chicago. The original plates were retained by Ayres when he bought and sold Hesler's gallery immediately after the Civil War. In 1881, Ayres produced prints from the plates and also created a duplicate set of glass negatives [Ostendorf, 49].

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Rich tonality, some light surface wear, light edge wear, soiling on verso.

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Katie Horstman

VP, Head of Department, American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography

[email protected]513.666.4958

Ms. Horstman has spent over a decade specializing in historic photography and Americana at auction. During her tenure, she has overseen several notable single owner auctions, including property from the inventory of celebrated Americana and antique arms expert Norm Flayderman. During her time with the firm, she has maintained an active membership in the Daguerreian Society. Ms. Horstman holds an MA in Art History from the University of Cincinnati and a BA in Art History from The Ohio State University.

Visions of America: The Stephen White Collection

Abraham Lincoln
[LINCOLN, Abraham (1809-1865)]. HESLER, Alexander (1823-1895), photographer. Mammoth plate platinum photograph of Abraham Lincoln. George B. Ayres, printer, 1897.

Visions of America: The Stephen White Collection

Abraham Lincoln[LINCOLN, Abraham (1809-1865)]. HESLER, Alexander (1823-1895), photographer. Mammoth plate platinum photograph of Abraham Lincoln. George B. Ayres, printer, 1897.

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Abraham Lincoln
[LINCOLN, Abraham (1809-1865)]. HESLER, Alexander (1823-1895), photographer. Mammoth plate platinum photograph of Abraham Lincoln. George B. Ayres, printer, 1897.