Photographing documents/official records Lincoln White House

[Eva Elisabeth]

Great research, Laurie! This is IMO how copies were made in those days, not by photography.

As for photographic copies I think like Betty. This is one of the claims where I instantly wonder - why is such not widely known? Also - who shall have taken these photos? (Brady? Gardner? Who else?) And where does the info (suddenly) come from? What about the Everett, Bancroft/Bliss copy of the Gettysburg Address Lincoln gave away for similar purposes? If the EP had been photographed, these should consequently/most likely have been photographed, too, but is it possible such happened that unnoticed?

Isaac N. Arnold's letter to A. L., and A. L.'s letter are in Arnold's "The Life of Abraham Lincoln", published in 1885:
http://books.google.de/books?id=sSy4N1nn...&lpg=PA267

A contemporary's account of the entire incident and context, and the fate of the document is in "Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs" (Vol. 2) by George S. Boutwell. He doesn't mention any photographic copies.
http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_t...0407166/27

---

BTW, does anyone know where the Rail Splitter's banner "Lincoln" quote "If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?" comes from? It's one of those often attributed to Lincoln, but I've never found out.