Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation Owes Big $$$

[L Verge]

Hopefully, this is the link to the entire article http://illinoistimes.com/article-19981-s...ncoln.html What a mess!

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Mention is being made of an appraiser who "authenticated" items in the Taper collection and cast doubt on the authenticity of the stovepipe hat. Does anyone know who that appraiser might have been -- and what were his objections to the provenance?

Thirty to forty years ago, there were three big Lincoln/Booth collectors vying against each other when items went up for auction: Barry and Louise Taper, Dr. John K. Lattimer, and Malcolm Forbes. I think Forbes was chiefly interested in Lincoln artifacts. I believe his sons inherited the collection, and I lost track of it. Much of Lattimer's holdings went up for auction years ago, and I know that there were some doubts about the provenance of some items. For some reason (mainly personal), I always thought that the Tapers were more careful in choosing their items.