This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/17/2022
[LINCOLN, Abraham]. MESERVE, Frederick H. (1865–1962). Lincolniana: Historical Portraits and Views. New York: Privately printed, 1915. Small folio. (Small paper repair to lower margin of title–page, else fine). 368 mounted photographic prints (lacking frontispiece portrait), 108 of Lincoln, others of his family, members of his cabinet, political and military contemporaries, and the conspirators in his assassination “printed from the original negatives and from negatives made from the original photographs” (title–page). Original full black morocco gilt, spine in 6 compartments with 5 raised bands, gilt–lettering in three, top edge gilt, others uncut (light rubbing to joints and spine); slipcase. Provenance: Foreman M. Lebold (booklabel); Sold at Sotheby’s, Philip D. L. Sang sale, 27 March 1985. FIRST EDITION, one of a very few privately printed copies which Monaghan states that a “letter of compiler to Henry Horner, 14 November 1938, lists 16 copies”. Howes also lists only 16 copies printed. Meserve was considered the preeminent historian of the photographs of Lincoln and one of America’s premier Lincoln collectors who began collecting before 1900, and even acquiring Matthew B. Brady’s negatives in 1902. His collection is now housed in the Library of Congress. This is the only copy to sell at auction (see Sotheby’s sale). Howes M549; Monaghan 2200.