Christian Rath Archive

[Rob Wick]

Heritage Auctions is selling the Christian Rath Archive via auction.

With a starting bid of $50,000, looks like I will be sitting this one out.

https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-a...-tem032125

Best
Rob

[Dave Taylor]

I noticed that included in the collection is a CDV depicting the trial of the Lincoln conspirators. It is a drawing of the event, but it is different from the other versions of this image that I have seen before. The one in the Rath collection appears to be an unfinished version that has the drawn conspirators but not the commissioners and prosecutors seated around the table. Here's a comparison image for reference.

[jbarry]

That's a good catch. These images really reinforce how uncomfortable everyone must have been in the late spring and summer heat of '65.

[STS Lincolnite]

(03-25-2025 12:28 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote:  I noticed that included in the collection is a CDV depicting the trial of the Lincoln conspirators. It is a drawing of the event, but it is different from the other versions of this image that I have seen before. The one in the Rath collection appears to be an unfinished version that has the drawn conspirators but not the commissioners and prosecutors seated around the table. Here's a comparison image for reference.

Good eyes Dave. It does seem to be an earlier draft. Obviously there are many more details added to the other version you posted. But it looks like at least some of the images of those in the prisoners dock are different as well (Powell for instance). It is interesting too that the image that seems to be an earlier draft has a notice at the bottom that it has been entered for copyright protection (similar to what the more detailed version has). Maybe the artists decided later to do a different image and just used what they had already done to save some time?

I think $50,000 starting bid for this collection is pretty high. It will be interesting to see how many takers there are at that price (or higher).

[Gene C]

(03-27-2025 01:00 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  I think $50,000 starting bid for this collection is pretty high. It will be interesting to see how many takers there are at that price (or higher).

Don't forget the 25% buyers premium (commission expense)

Who's the guy sitting with the prisoners on the far left in in the larger illustration?
Is that supposed to be symbolic of Booth, one of the prisoner's attorney, or someone else?

[Dave Taylor]

Gene,

I actually don’t know who the man standing at the top left is actually supposed to be. My best guess is that it is the court reporter/stenographer Benn Pitman. The guy has a piece of paper under his arm which is why I’m guessing that. However, Pitman wore a beard and his man is clean shaven. There were court reporters other than Pitman, so it could one of them. The guy could also represent a person taking the stand to testify. The back of the CDV identifies the conspirators but only mentions that Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt, General David Hunter, and General John Hartranft are also pictured. It also claims that Judge “Bigelow” is shown. I have no idea who “Bigelow” is supposed to be as no one by that name was involved in the trial. Most, but not all, of the commissioners are present and can be identified by their likenesses. I put together a little graphic identifying who everyone is. You can check it out here.

Also, it looks like the Rath archive only got one bid. The final sale was $62,500, which is just the 25% buyer’s premium added to opening bid of $50,000.

[Gene C]

Thanks Dave

[Steve]

Could "Bigelow", be an error for John Bingham (bad handwriting, perhaps?) with whoever not understanding what a Judge Advocate is?

Humorously, --- I asked Google and the AI said "William Bigelow" was a judge at the military trial of the conspirators.