Presidental Box Photographs

[Rsmyth]

Jim Garrett and I were discussing the "recreated" images of the Presidential box at Ford's. What is the evidence that Brady took the pics instead of Gardner? Gardner had left Brady's firm a few years prior but at that point was the government's favorite photographer. Brady had been relegated to studio portraiture. Thanks.

[RobertLC]

I think the book, Restoration of Ford’s Theater, (1963), by The Department of Interior and The National Park Service, attributes the pictures to Brady from the LOC collection, except the diorama. I’ve also seen the pictures credited to Brady in other writings, but I can’t remember the specific citations.

[Rsmyth]

Thanks Robert! I would love to know if Brady & Co. Took the pics or is this just info That has been passed along.

[Gene C]

Some great photo's of the interior of Ford's Theater taken by somebody (from the web site link Joe Beckert posted on his thread about the Double Ulke Exposures - on page 10 of the link)

http://www.fold3.com/uploads_recent/Robe...y/181_200/

[RobertLC]

I agree with you.

I've always heard that Stanton commissioned the photos, but don't think I've ever seen anything written that supports it.

It would be interesting to see.

[Rsmyth]

The L.O.C. Has 4 different imaged of the box, 2 being part of a sterio view. There is no attribution and no mention of either Brady or Gardner.

[RobertLC]

I’ve always heard those photos attributed to Brady, but have looked through the book by Lossing and Brady and I find no mention of the Ford pictures. Now I could have missed it because I scanned through the book quickly, but nothing caught my eye.

However, Thomas Bogar, in his recent book, notes on page 146 that Monday afternoon about 3:00 “a peculiar assemblage of visitors” arrived at Ford’s. He lists those present and on page 147 he adds “Also present Monday afternoon was a photographer from Mathew Brady’s studio. Gifford was instructed to reset the scenery…so the photographer could record a series of exposures.” He does not specifically record a reference at this point.

Hopefully, Tom will catch this thread and add additional detail and insight. Maybe that could clarify the genesis for these pictures.

Robert

[L Verge]

By this time, wasn't most of the work credited to Brady actually done by his assistants because of his badly failing eyesight?

[Tom Bogar]

Robert, unfortunately, all I had to go on was National Archives' identification of the photos as being from the Brady studio, with no identification of the actual photographer. So, I couldn't be more specific. Sorry.

[Jim Garrett]

Yes, I'm back. Nothing nefarious. Rich and I have been digging in all the dark corners for an answer. The problem is that there does not seem to be any clear identification. While Brady worked hard to insert himself into history, Gardner seems to be the preferred photographer for the government by 1864. I would think that if the War Department chose Gardner to record the hanging, and the mug shots, they would have used him for the recording of the theatre.

[RobertLC]

In his testimony, Gifford indicates that a photographer was there to take pictures for the Secretary of War, which again reinforces the belief that Stanton ordered the pictures. But he says nothing more helpful. Did Gifford, however, leave any private papers that might have been more specific about those in attendance that day?

Robert

[Jim Garrett]

I doubt whether Gifford left anything of note behind. I don't remember if he even had an obituary. He's buried in the family plot in Greenmount in Baltimore in an unmarked grave.

[Rsmyth]

I found some interesting reading over at Dave's Blog. He talks about some interesting items he viewed at the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum which is attached to the Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Dave also posts a link to a 1904 catalogue of Lincoln relics in the collection of famed collector Al Emmett Fostell. While looking through it I came across item # 26 which states:
An original photograph, taken by Gardiner, the government photographer, several days after President Lincoln was assassinated, showing the interior of Ford’s Theatre and the way the stage was set, and the draped private box of Ford’s Theatre which was occupied by the Lincoln theatre party. A copy of this was used at the trial of the conspirators, presented to Mr. Fostell by Mr. Sessford the ticket seller of Ford’s Theatre.
Jim Garrett first mentioned this theory to me about a year ago because he could not find any attributes to Brady concerning the pictures and at the time Gardiner was the go-to-photographer for the government. Jim and I have searched for any evidence that either one took the pictures without success.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thank you!

[DKEast]

I have always wondered, was there a party seated in the box directly across from the Presidential Box that night or underneath the Box? One depiction I saw had someone or two in the box under Lincoln but this could be just pure garnishment. I would assume that that trivia would have come to light...

[RJNorton]

Doug, none of the other boxes on either side of the stage were in use that night other than those (boxes 7 & 8) occupied by the Lincoln party.