American Historical Ephemera and Photography

Portrait features 3 women, the younger two of whom are dressed nearly, if not completely, identically and seated next to one another, each holding one side of a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. An older woman, presumably their mother, stands behind them, affectionately grasping their shoulders with her hands. The portrait of Lincoln is presented in a thick mat. (Some minor spotting to plate and wear to emulsion; unsealed.) Housed in a fully separated leatherette case (separated at spine, surface wear).

The portrait of Lincoln featured in this ambrotype appears to be the likeness captured in May 1860 by Edward A. Barnwell (ca 1825-1899), owner of the People's Daguerreotype Gallery in Decatur, Illinois. The Illinois Republican Convention was held in Decatur in May 1860, and Barnwell reportedly sought out the "biggest" man at the Convention. That man turned out to be Abraham Lincoln, who Barnwell asked to visit his nearby gallery and pose for a portrait. Ostendorf records that Lincoln visited the studio and had the likeness made on 9 May, the day before the Convention would nominate him as the Republican candidate for president.

Catalogued in Ostendorf as [O-19], the Barnwell portrait is one of few photographs of Lincoln showing the left side of his beardless face (the ambrotype featured here is a laterally reversed image, meaning that the portrait of Lincoln would have been facing to the right, as in the Barnwell image), and the only portrait of the future President taken in Decatur. Interestingly, the Barnwell portrait was long thought to be lost until the photographer's daughter, Grace, presented a glass plate positive to the Decatur Public Library in 1947. The library still owns the positive plate along with one print made from it.

"E. A. Barnwell" is listed as a 35-year-old "Degarian Artist" in Decatur, IL in the 1860 Federal Census. Other household members include a Susan Barnwell (age 29), Charles Barnwell (age 9), and an Edward E. Barnwell (age 2), along with 6 other adults ranging in age from 23 to 33, including one female by the name of Sarah E. and another male "Degarian Artist" listed as "[W?] Insco Williams."

Later censuses indicate that Edward A. and Susan (also listed as Susanna) had three children all together: Charles, born sometime around 1851 and disappearing from the record after 1860, Edward E. (ca 1858-1910), and Grace (ca 1873-1951). Though none of these children would have been the right age and/or gender to have sat for the ambrotype featured here, it is possible that Susan herself is featured with her husband's work.