The 1998 Spittoon Debate in the Lincoln home.

[LincolnMan]

In the Winter 2016 Issue of For The People there is an article by James Cornelius about the matter of whether or not the Lincolns had two spittoons in their sitting room at the Springfield home. There is a woodcut illustration that appeared in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 9, 1861 which shows two objects that could be two spittoons on either side of the fireplace. Based on that, there were placed two spittoons in the sitting room in 1998. The site of the spittoons in the Lincoln sitting room did not go over well with some, to say the least. The issue was not settled until 1998.
My question for my fellow Forum members is this: do you think the Lincolns had spittoons in their sitting room? If the ojects are not spittoons- then what are they?
I will give you the what the determination was according to the article after some of your opinions are offered.