Description:

Abraham Lincoln Collector Frederick H. Meserve ALS Re: NY Civil War Round Table

1p autograph letter signed by notable Lincoln collector Frederick H. Meserve (1865-1962) as "F.H. Meserve" near bottom. Written in New York City on October 19, 1954. The watermarked cream stationery has "Frederick H. Meserve / 148 East 78th Street / New York 21, N.Y." letterhead. Expected light paper folds, and a minor paper clip impression in the lower left corner, else near fine. 8.5" x 11."

Frederick H. Meserve, a world-renown collector of Lincoln and Civil War-era photography, ephemera, maps, and books, wrote Arnold F. Gates (1914-1993), fellow Civil War enthusiast and author: "Many thanks for your letter of Oct. 17. 54 with your kind comments in respect to the printing of my talk last year to the Civil War Round Table. I will appreciate it if you will send me two or three copies of the last 'Round Table' which you edit so ably." The mission of Civil War Round Table organizations--still very much active today--is to increase understanding of the 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. The New York chapter was co-founded by Meserve and a few others on January 24, 1951. Besides Meserve, another celebrated member of the New York chapter of the Civil War Round Table was Allan Nevins (1890-1971), whose 8-volume "Ordeal of the Union" examined the causes and denouement of the Civil War. The New York chapter of the Civil War Round Table was just one of the ways that Civil War devotees connected. Members of a specialized community that developed in the mid-twentieth-century United States, they included historians, collectors, autograph dealers, veterans' descendants, freelance writers, history buffs, and reenactment fans. These enthusiasts created a dynamic and rigorous academic environment in which to discuss their favorite subject; they wrote and shared articles and books, met regularly at symposia, and frequently collaborated.

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."

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.

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

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

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

August 17, 2022 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 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