Is This Abraham Lincoln?

[L Verge]

"it was henry p. Cattell dr. brown's brother's stepsonwhom dr brown trained"

Marsha, I'm a little unclear. In the above, from your last postings, are you referring to Cattell having made a written report? If so, have you seen it?

The reason I ask is that I have seen the description of how the embalming was done quite a few times, and they all (even what Kees quoted several years ago) seem more like a general description of how embalming was performed in those days. Even the description of trimming the beard, slight smile, etc. is just something that someone observing Lincoln's body would make note of. And, I have to agree with the others that the white hair and beard in this photo is very suspicious -- and, of course, I really don't think that a marble bust of Lincoln with painted hair and beard was ever inserted into the one known photo of the deceased President.

I would like to know if there really was an official written report prepared by Brown and Cattell for any official government records; and, if so, does it still exist and have you seen it. Is the description that we are reading here something written by either of the gentlemen (or an observer) and later published in a journal or magazine or memoir? A good historian goes for primary source materials first in order to support/deny claims.
Other than visual surmising and suggested possibilities, do you have any documentation? Is there a photographer's mark on the reverse of the photo? If so, we can trace it for location of that business in 1865.

Since I am joining the ranks of your "bullies" in disagreeing with you, I would like an official report to be made available - if it ever existed - just to prove whether or not the embalmers could have possibly been so bold (and so daring) as to attempt to take a standing post mortem photo of Mr. Lincoln. Since Edwin Stanton wanted no photos taken of the dead Lincoln, they would have been facing a terrible backlash. I don't think even the bravest photographer of the day would have attempted to enter the White House with equipment to take that picture.