Alas, Another Bogus "Lincoln" Photo

[Susan Higginbotham]

The Discovery Channel will be running a show about a "deathbed photo" of Lincoln, supposedly taken in secret by Henry Ulke (because, you know, no one would have noticed a camera being set up at the Petersen House).

Part of the provenance is apparently a Post-It note affixed to it reading "Cousin Abe." You know how the Victorians loved their Post-It notes!

https://www.nwherald.com/2020/10/01/docu...o/aylx9xy/

[Jim Garrett]

People love to rewrite history or discover the previously undiscovered. Henry Ulke probably had limited space living at the Petersen House. Kathy Canavan, in her book writes about the overcrowded conditions there. To have an ambrotype camera and a modern camera for CDVs, well, what's the point of keeping a dinosaur of a camera.

[Steve]

There's no image of the photo in the article. However the wording:

At first glance, the face looks different — thinner, smoother — than the image most Americans are familiar with.

definitely causes one to pause. If a photo doesn't look like the person at first glance, please trust your instincts people...skepticism is always best.

[RJNorton]

For the time being I am going to close this thread. I have been aware of this upcoming show for several weeks now. I think it best that we not discuss the photo on this forum. A few previous discussions of certain photos have led to problems, including threats of a lawsuit in one situation.

Thank you for your understanding.