Mr. Lincoln's Coat

[ReignetteC]

I hope you are wrong, too, Jim.

As you noted, the original Brooks Brothers' greatcoat is currently not on display; consequently the "coat" that will be removed is a replica - provided by Brooks Brothers in 1990. The original coat has not been on display since 2011, and I am not sure if it will ever return for public viewing.

When I researched the records at Ford's Theatre a few months ago, I read a report prepared by a textile conservation service regarding the coat. The recommendation, in the report, is as follows:

"The coat is extremely fragile. The coat needs to be retired permanently from any display. This extraordinary and unique artifact needs to be preserved because it is a seminal part of the American story. It is an ‘endangered species’ - no more of its kind exist. It exists today because of previous responsible ownership and respect for the object and its legacy. It is part of America’s publicly held cultural property, and the current museum policy of annual extended display is both irresponsible and short sighted."