Is this a close-up view of the frame of one eye of Abraham Lincoln's reading glasses?

An excellent guess, Roger, but, sorry, not correct.

Can you say if it's in Washington?

Yes, it is.
Hint #1: It's another silent witness to April 14th.

Is it a musical instrument from the orchestra?

Lincoln's watch?

Good ideas both - Joe is closer (but none is correct).

Hint #2: Please notice the wording in hint #1 - I didn't write "assassination".

Leale's watch

Nope - no watch, and you are digging on the wrong "side" of the assassination.

Booth's spur

Sorry - nope.
Hint #3: Joe's and Roger's guesses were the closet regarding the "owner"/"user""owner" of the item.
Hint #4: The item was (don't know for sure if still is) on display at the Smithsonian.

The tea cup Lincoln supposedly drank from and left on a windowsill right before he departed for the theater?

(12-01-2014, 07:27 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: PS: My personal delight is to count down till Dec.21, the darkest day of the year - afterwards daylight time will increase again!! Yeah! Thanks God!!

PPS: I'm curious and eager to learn, especially about customs and traditions (so interesting!) - did you grow up with an Advent calendar, or made one for your kids or dear ones? What kind of? Please share! Thanks!

Instead of the traditional chocolate advent calendar, my parents would get me the Lego City Advent Calendar. They were afraid I would be hyper during the school day if I had chocolate.

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/7324_LEGO_Cit...t_Calendar

The themes changed every year. I got one every year until 2014 when I said "Mom, Dad, this is very nice but I'll be off to college next year." I can't wait to do this with my kids (if I have any, I'm sure I will) during the holidays.

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/60024_City_Advent_Calendar

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(12-04-2016, 01:11 PM)J. Beckert Wrote: The tea cup Lincoln supposedly drank from and left on a windowsill right before he departed for the theater?

ditto

Kudos, Joe, that is correct!!!
   
In 1887, Capt. D.W. Taylor presented this cup to Robert and explained that a White House servant had seen the President leave the cup behind on a windowsill just before departing for the theater and had preserved it as a relic.

Thomas, this was a difficult question to figure but easy to jump on the train once someone got it - cross your heart, if Joe hadn't gotten it, would you have? Or were you going to post it anyway? Then you sure will score. So far, you, too, win a train ride on the Xmas Tram.
   
Laurie: 1
Thomas: 1
Roger: 2
Joe: 1

PS: Thomas - I didn't expect chocolate Advent calendars to be available in the US. I had always to search for chocolate with a spy glass over there. (Fills aisles in Germany.)

(12-04-2016, 02:11 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: Kudos, Joe, that is correct!!!

In 1887, Capt. D.W. Taylor presented this cup to Robert and explained that a White House servant had seen the President leave the cup behind on a windowsill just before departing for the theater and had preserved it as a relic.

Thomas, this was a difficult question to figure but easy to jump on the train once someone got it - cross your heart, if Joe hadn't gotten it, would you have? Or were you going to post it anyway? Then you sure will score. So far, you, too, win a train ride on the Xmas Tram.

Laurie: 1
Thomas: 1
Roger: 2
Joe: 1

PS: Thomas - I didn't expect chocolate Advent calendars to be available in the US. I had always to search for chocolate with a spy glass over there. (Fills aisles in Germany.)

They have chocolate advent calendars in the states. When I was 8, I refused to leave Toys R Us until I got one. I compromised with my parents on the Lego one.