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Possibly an unpublished photo of Dr.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.