Description:

Lincoln Abraham

Abraham Lincoln Collector Frederick H. Meserve ALS Mentioning Photographs of "Mr. Sherman" Made from "original Brady negatives"

 

1p ALS inscribed overall and signed by Lincoln collector Frederick H. Meserve (1865-1962) as "F.H. Meserve" at bottom. Written in New York City on June 6, 1951. The watermarked cream onionskin paper with "240 Church Street" letterhead is in near fine condition, with expected light paper folds and wrinkles, 8.5" x 11".

 

Frederick H. Meserve, a world-renown collector of Lincoln and Civil War era photography, ephemera, maps, and books, wrote a fellow Civil War Round Table member named Carl, enclosing "three excellent photographs of Mr. Sherman which I have had the photographs make [sic from the original Brady negatives. I had intended to give them to Mr. Connally but I will appreciate it if you will do so."

 

Meserve quaintly refers to pugnacious Union General William T. Sherman (1820-1891) as "Mr. Sherman." Sherman was photographed on numerous occasions by Civil War photographer Mathew Brady (1822-1896) or members of his studio, Brady & Co. The ferocious fighter was photographed in many ways: both alone and surrounded by subordinates, atop a horse or beside a cannon; wearing a partly unbuttoned uniform adorned with a mourning arm band, or in a sinister hat and cloak. Brady and his associates dominated the war time photography business; it is estimated that the firm took approximately 12,000 photographs during the Civil War. Subjects included battlefields, hospitals, and landmarks, as well as formal portraits of leading military commanders, like Meserve's negatives of William T. Sherman.

 

Frederick H. 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 (New Haven, Connecticut.)

 

The mission of Civil War Round Table organizations is to increase understanding of the Civil War's context, battles, participants, and effects. The Chicago chapter was the first such organization established in 1940; Milwaukee followed in 1947, and the District of Columbia in 1951. Meserve was a member of the New York chapter, established around the same time.

 


WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS. ALSO, ALL PACKAGES SHIPPED FROM OUR OFFICES REQUIRE A DIRECT SIGNATURE UPON DELIVERY.*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000