Seed Pearl Necklace and Bracelets

[Susan Higginbotham]

James, I have reached the point of believing that you know perfectly well that this is not a photograph of the Lincolns--hence all the flimflam you're offering about Mary's supposed scar (which none of the many people who made snide comments about her appearance mentioned), Lincoln's supposed weakness (which none of his political opponents ever mentioned), and Mary's ballroom attire (which requires you to studiously ignore the fact that the lady in your photo is not wearing ballroom attire). You have to spout this nonsense because you're stuck with the fact that anyone who's seen Lincoln's face on a five-dollar bill knows that your photo is not one of Lincoln. The best that can be said is that it's of a man and woman who lived during the same time period as the Lincolns.

Have you taken your photo to an auction house that specializes in historical memorabilia, or to a dealer in rare photographs? Of course you haven't, because you know that no reputable source, inside or outside of the Lincoln community, would accept this photo of being one of the Lincolns. You couldn't even find a buyer on eBay, where "caveat emptor" is the rule and where fakes are a dime a dozen.

I don't really understand why you keep posting here, except to assume that this site probably gets more hits than your website could ever hope to, and that you're hoping that someone will see this discussion, be dazzled by your arguments, and fork over whatever you're asking for the dag. The problem is, there are many Lincoln collectors with more brains than money, but not all that many with more money than brains.

My advice, which you certainly won't take, is to sell the dag for what it's worth and take Donna out to dinner with the proceeds. You'll get a decent meal (depending on where you live, of course), and someone in turn will get a nice dag of a pleasant-looking couple. It deserves a better home.