Lincoln’s Legacy: Historic Americana from the Life of Abraham Lincoln

Lithographed broadside, by Edward Mendel; 20 x 32 in. (508 x 813 mm). A horizontally formatted issue featuring an engraved portrait of Abraham Lincoln at top left, and an engraved facsimile of his handwriting of the Emancipation's text. Circular blindstamp in bottom left ("Emancipation Proclamation" and with White House depicted at center). Laid down on japanese tissue; sheet toned and soiled; chipping and wear along margins.

President Lincoln donated the original manuscript of the Emancipation Proclamation to the proprietors of the North-Western Fair, to be sold by them to raise money for the care of Union soldiers. The manuscript was then purchased by Thomas B. Bryan, president of the Soldier's Home in Chicago. Edward Mendel then lithographed the text, producing this facsimile version of Lincoln's historic document. These lithographs were then sold to raise funds for the U.S. Sanitary Commission. In the bottom right is printed, "has purchased this Facsimile for Two Dollars, contributing thereby to the erection of a permanent home for Sick & Disabled Soldiers", below a space left blank for the purchaser to add their name.

Lincoln's original manuscript was destroyed eight years later in the Chicago fire of 1871, thus making this a scarce facsimile record of a now lost manuscript.

RARE: OCLC records six copies in this format. Eberstadt 36.

Provenance:

Louise Taper, Beverly Hills, California