Description:


A fine ensemble of relics related to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the execution of Mary Surratt (1823 - 1865), an American boarding house owner who was hanged for her role in the plot, becoming the first woman executed by the United States federal government. The ensemble includes tiny locks of two strands of Abraham Lincoln's hair, one strand of Surratt's hair, a fragment of the wooden scaffold used in her execution, and a remnant of the cloth used to bind her hands, each contained within a small magnifying case and matted beneath printed images of their respective owners and an printed view of the execution of Surratt and her co-conspirators. Lincoln's hair originated from a lock of hair given from the President to Mrs. Caroline Wright, the wife of the Governor of Indiana, and went for sale at Christie's Auction House in New York in 2002. The wooden fragments from the scaffold, according to the display's certificate of authenticity, likely came from one of the guards whom scavenged the execution site or a relic hunter, as historical accounts indicate that '...despite the strong cordon of guards, one man soon appeared with a handful of chips from the gallows...' The cloth remnant was removed by a guard, whom indicated that it was used to bind her arms during the execution. Surratt's hair was found in the 1865 diary of prison guard Samuel Curtis, whom enclosed the hair in a small envelope written in his hand. The ensemble comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from renowned militaria dealer Cary J. Delery. In 2020, a lock of Lincoln's hair brought $80,000 at auction!

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*SEE ADITTIONAL SHIPPING ABOVE* -Shipments are sent via FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Due to complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will ship with USPS Priority Mail only if the buyer submits their request to us in writing and accepts responsibility for delayed shipments. Signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

February 9, 2021 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000