October Legends
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/2/2013
Very beautiful and ornate Civil War officer’s commissioning document signed by the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. As is the custom to this day, the sitting president signs all Army and Navy officer’s commissions and this high-quality vellum document dated February 23, 1864 appoints one M.H. Dickinson as an “Additional Paymaster” in the Union Army. It’s amazing to think that Lincoln took time out of his day at the height of the Civil War to sign this very document we now proudly offer at auction. Lincoln’s full fountain pen signature appears in the lower right corner, just above the beautiful etching of the American flag. The commission has also been signed by Lincoln’s Secretary of War Edward Stanton. The upper left corner of the document has the added hand-written notation: “Recorded Volume 17 Page 141, Adjutant generals’ Office, February 20, 1864” and signed by “W.A. Nichols, Asst. Adjt. Genl.”. The document has been folded and a 1” high by 11” long piece of vellum has been removed from the top of the document. This by no means distracts from the display potential of this piece since the area removed would normally be under a matte when framed. Full Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA.