Fine Books and Manuscripts

Folio broadside (460 x 122 mm), a few short tears at top with minor losses just affecting a few letters and old repair on verso, a few tiny marginal chips, overall browning from old framing. Provenance: Montgomery Blair (1813-1883) Maryland politician and lawyer, Postmaster General to President Lincoln; by descent to Montgomery Blair Jr.A CONTEMPORARY REPRINT BY THE ORIGINAL PRINTER OF THE APRIL 14 FORD'S THEATER PLAYBILL, FROM THE COLLECTION OF LINCOLN'S PRIOR POSTMASTER GENERALThe first edition of the April 14th Ford's Theater playbill is known in two distinct issues. On the morning of the 14th, H. Polkinhorn & Son printed a run of handbills for that evening's performance that was probably equivalent to the number of seats in the theater at the time. By mid-day, a messenger from the White House brought news that Lincoln had accepted an invitation to attend the play that night. In Lincoln' honor, the theater management decided to add the patriotic song "Honor To Our Soldiers" to the program for the evening. Polkinhorn reset part of the type for the handbill, adding the song. (Copies with this addition constitute the second issue). H. Pelkinhorn re-printed the first state of the playbill to satisfy the demand for souvenirs; these reprints have damage to the third "E" in the name "KEENE," as present in this copy.