The Donald P. Dow Collection of Lincolniana Auction (1/24/2015)

[Dave Taylor]

Dear Forum Members,

I am now taking donations to buy practically everything in the upcoming auction of the Donald P. Dow collection of Lincolniana. You all need to check it out because everything in the collection is really, really, really cool (really). I have not seen a collection of assassination related objects so vast and so cool since the auction of Dr. Lattimer's collection a few years ago. As of this moment they are still putting up items and haven't added pictures for all the lots yet, but even the descriptions for the pieces are causing me to freak out like a fan boy meeting Captain Kirk at a Trekkie convention.

Here are some samples of what the auction contains:

An album full of CDVs of the conspirators including a possibly unknown one of Samuel Arnold

Possibly an unpublished photo of Dr. Mudd along with a picture of his home and a letter referring to him at Fort Jefferson

Tracings of Lincoln's and Booth's boots

Original copy of Thomas Jones book along with an autographed letter he wrote to collector Al Emmett Fostell

Letter from Edwin Booth discussing the delay of the Shakespeare statue benefit by the Booth brothers due to John Wilkes' journeys to the oil region

Signed copy of Ford's Theatre doorkeeper Joseph Buckingham's book that was owned and is also signed by Vice President Adlai Stevenson

Letters from Louis Weichmann in which he recounts a story about Booth that later appeared in his book

Signed Clara Harris letter

Lots of John Wilkes Booth, CDVs, tintypes, playbills, autographs, etc.

Honestly, I could go on and on and on. The collection not only has a vast amount of assassination related material, but also some amazing Lincoln things. You really need to check it out.

I've never bid in an auction before (except for good ol' "electronic Bay.com") but I will definitely be trying my luck at this one due to the inclusion of Rev. Richard B. Garrett's handwritten lecture notes about Booth's time on his father's farm. I'm calling dibs on it right now, so none of you are allowed to bid against me for it. That goes for everyone else on the internet too.

I'm tremendously excited about this whole thing and I can't wait until they put up pictures for all the lots.

[BettyO]

WOW! (Fangirl swoon!!)

I'd KILL for a chance to own that Conspirator CDV album.... Thanks, Dave! An early Christmas present!!

Where do you find out about this stuff? Hope I win the lottery tonight.... be sure to buy those tickets, folks!!

[HerbS]

Priceless and go for it Dave.It is a once in a lifetime opportunity!

[L Verge]

I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Dow and his wife at Surratt House several times nearly forty years ago. Very nice - and very rich - Texans. We have a matted and framed photo of and letter about Tom Taylor (who wrote Our American Cousin) that he donated to us at that time. It hung in our "second" library (we've actually expanded three times so far) until the research center was created in a third building here. The second library became two offices, and there wasn't space in the new center for this large a framed piece. It is now safely in storage.

[Wesley Harris]

Some online auction houses let you set up accounts where you can enter key words (Booth, Lincoln, etc) and be alerted by email when related objects come up for bid.

[BettyO]

Check it out daily -- new things added this morning!

[Rsmyth]

This is fantastic. After tracking many assassination relics through the large auctions they disappear from the radar screen. Well. many of them have just reappeared! I first became of Mr. Dow as a collector around 2007 when reading AB. According to Mike Kauffman, Pg 456 Notes #18, Donald P. Dow owned the O’Beirne diary obtained from the Otto Eisinschiml papers. I love this stuff! Thanks Dave for the heads up!

[L Verge]

(12-05-2014 10:23 AM)Rsmyth Wrote:  This is fantastic. After tracking many assassination relics through the large auctions they disappear from the radar screen. Well. many of them have just reappeared! I first became of Mr. Dow as a collector around 2007 when reading AB. According to Mike Kauffman, Pg 456 Notes #18, Donald P. Dow owned the O’Beirne diary obtained from the Otto Eisinschiml papers. I love this stuff! Thanks Dave for the heads up!

The O'Beirne diary is one of the auction items, isn't it?

[Anita]

(12-05-2014 07:40 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(12-05-2014 10:23 AM)Rsmyth Wrote:  This is fantastic. After tracking many assassination relics through the large auctions they disappear from the radar screen. Well. many of them have just reappeared! I first became of Mr. Dow as a collector around 2007 when reading AB. According to Mike Kauffman, Pg 456 Notes #18, Donald P. Dow owned the O’Beirne diary obtained from the Otto Eisinschiml papers. I love this stuff! Thanks Dave for the heads up!

The O'Beirne diary is one of the auction items, isn't it?

The O'Beirne diary is one of the auction items, isn't it?
[/quote]

Yes, it's one of the items. Perhaps it contains the key to verifying his time spent at Lincoln's deathbed! (discussed on the forum last year).

I've so enjoyed looking at the auction inventory and reading up on the history of these amazing Lincoln items. Then I fantasize about bidding.
Anyone want to go 50/50?

[L Verge]

It would take a gigantic pay raise in order for me to even go 50/50. I knew that Donald had quite a collection, but he never bragged about it (at least at Surratt House), so I had no idea how extensive it is.

[STS Lincolnite]

I have never had much involvement with collecting of this kind due to my relatively limited funds - I have to save up money for a long time to get things I want. The time frames on this type of auction are too short for me to save up enough money - it would take me an eternity for some of this things!

Is it uncommon for people with this type of collection to have scans and high quality photographs made of the items then make them available at libraries or something for study? It would seem to be a great way to continue to enhance the historical record and really provide a legacy beyond the monetary value of the items. That being said, I can also see where some may not want to publicize what they have for fear of thievery.

[L Verge]

I think some of the problem in this wonderful age of ever-increasing technology is that very skillful reproductions can be made of almost anything and thrown on the market to decrease the value of the real thing. There are some benevolent collectors (like one on this forum that I could - but won't - mention who has duplicated parts of his collection and shared with the James O. Hall Research Center.

[Thomas Kearney]

I checked the auction page and they have a replica derringer. You can buy one off the Cabela's (a store similar to Bass Pro Shops) website for under $400.

[BettyO]

I bought my replica for about $25.00 at the Museum of the Confederacy - and it's a GOOD copy!

[Gene C]

Here are two available, just in time for Christmas

http://www.amazon.com/Denix-Replicas-101...+derringer

http://www.amazon.com/The-Gun-That-Shot-...h+deringer