October Legends and Americana Ending November 14th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2015
Abraham Lincoln will forever be numbered among the select few men to be considered the greatest Presidents in the history of the United States. Lincoln served during the most desperate times in our country's history, and he demonstrated wisdom and courage in the face of dire national events. His legacy is one of integrity, intelligence and compassion. Add the circumstance of martyrdom to that list, and the demand by collectors for artifacts of any kind that claim a direct relationship to Lincoln's heritage is easily understood.
Following his assassination in 1865, there were countless trinkets, coins, stamps, mementos, CDVs, and images produced to remind citizens of this bravest and noblest of our Presidents, but the true Lincoln aficionado seeks something of the man, of his time, of his Presidency.
The great emancipator was a doer, not a delegator. So it is not surprising that during the height of the Civil War, Lincoln continued to personally sign Presidential orders and appointments. Offered here is a visually impactful Presidential Commission document that features an elaborately engraved vignette containing all the elements of the Great Seal of the United States, with the words, "The President of the United States of America," as its banner. The document's execution is dated March 8, 1864. A more-elaborate, patriotic vignette decorates the lower aspect of the document. This one is filled with instruments of battle, including pikes (one bearing a wreath), bayoneted rifles, tassel flags, sabers, torches, crossed cannons, powder, a bugle, cannonballs, a fife and drum, and a medieval plumed armor helmet. The document was signed in ink by the President, in a bold hand, with his full name, "Abraham Lincoln," revealed in a size that is ideal for its setting. The document – which is annotated in ink in the top-left corner – was engraved on fine parchment paper and displays compacting folds consistent with long-ago preparation for it to be sent by dispatch or through the mail. (A portion of Lincoln’s signature aligns with one of these raised folds.)
The Commission has also been endorsed and signed, "E. M. Stanton," by Lincoln's Secretary of War. Edwin Stanton (1814-1869) later became a polarizing figure whose confrontations with President Andrew Johnson were instrumental in bringing about the latter man’s impeachment.
Execution of this Commission was formalized by the large, embossed green seal of the United States War Office, which remains attached at the left edge. This is an important historical display piece, beautifully showcasing the signature of one of America's most revered Presidents. Double-matted, and presented as a framed, museum-quality display. This item comes with a letter for authenticity from JSA.