Description:

A superb collection of approx. 208 signatures of American presidents, political leaders, generals and military figures, Supreme Court justices, foreign dignitaries, and others, all assembled in about 1870 by an obviously well-connected collector. Almost all of the signatures were penned on separate leaves of the book and back-to-back, the balance having been cut from documents or are cards, etc. mounted within the album. One of the signatures is inscribed to 'William Belknap', very likely William Worth Belknap (1829–1890), lawyer, Union general, and Secretary of War, serving under President Ulysses S. Grant. Most notable is a 3 x 2.75 in. endorsement by ABRAHAM LINCOLN, penned by him on the edge of an envelope which once contained a letter forwarded to him seeking assistance for a lady. He writes, in full: 'Can any thing be done for the Lady - friend of Marshal Lamon? I do not see how. A. Lincoln March 9, 1863' Lincoln's signature crosses Lamon's name originally penned on the envelope, else very good. Ward Hill Lamon (1828-1893) served as Marshal for the city of Washington and chief of protocol at White House events. He and Lincoln had a working law partnership before Lamon became prosecuting attorney in 1856. He was also with President-elect Lincoln when he carefully entered Washington in February 1861 to avoid possible violence in Baltimore. Other appearing in this great album include (in order of appearance): JOHN L. WORDEN, ULYSSES S. GRANT, FRANK P. BLAIR, SCHUYLER COLFAX, WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, ISAAC I. HAYES, JOHN H. WILSON, BENJAMIN WADE, WM. P. FESSENDEN, CHARLES SUMNER, SALMON P. CHASE, JOHN A. LOGAN, NATHAN CLIFFORD, NOAH SWAYNE, SAMUEL MILLER, DAVID DAVIS, EDWARD M. CANBY, HANNIBAL HAMLIN, CARL SCHURZ, JOSEPH K. BARNES, GEORG B. MCCLELLAN, JOSEPH HOLT, ANDREW A. HUMPHREYS, OLIVER OTIS HOWARD, HORACE PORTER, OLIVER E. BABCOCK, ROBERT C. SCHENCK, JAMES NEGLEY, ANDREW JOHNSON (as president, cut from a document), WILLIAM SEWARD, ALBERT J. MEYER, WINFIELD SCOTT, JAMES HARLAN, HENRY WILSON, JAMES GARFIELD, HAMILTON FISH, IRVIN MCDOWELL, JOHN C. FREMONT, JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON, JOHN GEARY, NATHAN CLIFFORD, PHIL SHERIDAN, WILLIAM ROSECRANS, GOUVERNEUR K. WARREN, GEORGE H. THOMAS, WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK, DANIEL SICKLES, MARTIN VAN BUREN (cut signature), ZACHARIAH CHANDLER, HIRAM REVELS, FRANCIS E. SPINNER, DAVID D. PORTER, ROBERT SCHENCK, BENJAMIN BUTLER, ADELBERT AMES, JOHN M. THAYER, C. C. WASHBURN, HENRY W. SLOCUM, SIMON CAMERON, J. R. WEST, CHARLES SUMNER (A.Q.S. pasted in), M. R. WAITE, EDWIN STANTON, and many others. Covers reinforced within with crude tape repairs not affecting any signatures which remain in very good to fine condition. Lincoln's reference to 'Marshal Lamon' concerns Ward Hill Lamon (1828-1893), personal friend and self-appointed bodyguard of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Lamon was famously absent the night Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865. Shortly after his inauguration in 1861, Lincoln appointed Lamon U.S. Marshal of the District of Columbia. One of Lamon's first acts as Marshal was to visit Fort Sumter, South Carolina in March 1861, to meet with Major Robert Anderson, commander of the fort, and Governor Francis Pickens. One of the best such albums we've seen.

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August 26, 2021 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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