MAGNIFICENT LINCOLN 1860 CAMPAIGN AMBROTYPE BY GEORGE CLARK.
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Winning Bid:
$17,394.50
(Includes 18% Buyer's Premium)
Bidding Ended:
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 9:00:00 PM (20 Minute Clock Begins At Wednesday, July 10, 2019 9:00:00 PM)
Item Description
2.125x2.625" (52x64mm) brass frame neatly holed at top as issued. Reverse has label reading "For President Hon. Abraham Lincoln. Manufactured By Geo. Clark Jr., & Co. Ambrotype Artists, No. 59 Court Street, Boston" and hand inscribed (inexplicably) "In Boston 1853." Clark utilized photographer Mathew Brady's "Cooper Union" portrait of Lincoln on this exceptional badge. When Brady made this portrait of Lincoln, Feb 27, 1860 the day he addressed "The Young Men's Central Republican Union" at Cooper Union Institute in New York City, the future President was still relatively unknown and would not receive the Republican nomination for nearly three months. Lincoln's speech that day, arguing against the spread of slavery to Western territories, catapulted him into the national spotlight and the dissemination of this image played a major role in his political rise. Similar to DeWitt AL-1860-131 and Hake #3044, the present example features a pleasing wide view of the iconic image that includes more of Lincoln's shoulders and torso. Of the few surviving examples we have encountered only one other featured a similar view. These badges are highly susceptible to condition issues: the delicate emulsion is prone to flaking, the thin glass panel is often cracked, and hasty manufacturing produced varying degrees of image contrast and clarity making high grade examples exceedingly rare and highly coveted. The present example is as nice as they come with only a fine network of crazing, as is present on every example we have encountered. No flaking, razor sharp clarity, excellent contrast and perfect centering. Examples in equally magnificent condition have exceeded $30,000. A special opportunity to obtain a superior high-grade example of the premier 1860 Lincoln portrait badge and one of the most iconic artifacts of American presidential campaigning.
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