Abraham Lincoln Collector Frederick H. Meserve ALS: "As Far As I Know Lincoln Was Never Photographed In Ohio" -

[Lincoln Abraham]







Abraham Lincoln Collector Frederick H. Meserve ALS:
"As far as I know Lincoln was never photographed in Ohio"







1p typed letter signed by Arnold F. Gates (1914-1993), a Civil War enthusiast and amateur author, and addressed to notable Lincoln collector Frederick H. Meserve (1865-1962). At the bottom, Meserve has included a 20+ word reply in his own hand, and signed it
"F.H. Meserve." Gates's original letter was written in Cleveland, Ohio on July 8, 1941, and Meserve's response was written three days later, probably in New York City. The cream stationery paper is in near fine condition, with expected light paper folds, 8.5" x 11".







Gates, who was preparing for an upcoming university lecture, had inquired:
"I would like to know if any of the Lincoln photographers were from Ohio."







Meserve replied:
"So far as I know Lincoln was never photographed in Ohio." Though this did not exactly answer Gates's question, it was offered in the best spirit of scholarly good will.







Out of the 130 known photographs of Abraham Lincoln, the majority of them were taken between ca. 1846-1860 in Illinois. Locations in the state where Lincoln was photographed include Springfield, Chicago, Danville, Peoria, Beardstown, Urbana, Macomb, Pittsfield, Monmouth, and Decatur. Lincoln was also photographed in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Antietam, Maryland. One portrait dating from ca. 1858 may have ties to Ohio, but they are unclear. The daguerreotype depicting a bust portrait of Lincoln was from the personal collection of a Parma, Ohio Union soldier, and was later found in the papers of Cleveland collector Anthony L. Maresh. (See the Anton L. Maresh Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, for a description of this collection.)







Lincoln's portraits were typically taken before or after landmark events, such as an election, debate, inauguration, or battle. His most frequent photographers included Alexander Gardner (1821-1882) and colleague Mathew Brady (1822-1896), who dominated antebellum and Civil War-era American photography. Of the more than 50 official portraits of Lincoln taken from his lawyering days on the court circuit until his assassination, Gardner took 37 of these--approximately twice the number produced by other photographers. Gardner went on to photograph the execution of Lincoln's assassination co-conspirators.







Frederick H. Meserve was a world-renown collector of Lincoln and Civil War-era photography, ephemera, maps. Meserve began collecting Lincolniana in 1897, with the intention of illustrating his father's Civil War diary. Meserve continued collecting over the next sixty years, eventually amassing 200,000 pieces including some previously "lost" or unknown images of Lincoln. Meserve's collection was so esteemed for its completeness that he essentially became the custodian of "Lincoln's image." For example, Meserve was approached by medal and currency engravers, as well as by the sculptors of Lincoln's Memorial Monument, for direct access to his presidential photographs. In 2015, the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection was acquired by the Yale Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library  in New Haven, Connecticut.







Arnold F. Gates also had a lifelong interest in the Civil War. Gates edited and published works relating to the Civil War period, contributing to such works as the anthology Lincoln for the Ages. His independent monographs include
Amberglow of Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed and
The Rough Side of War: The Civil War Journal of Chesley A. Mosman, First Lieutenant, Company D, 59th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Meserve and Gates corresponded over the next ten years.







This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.







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