Description:

Lincoln Abraham



Abraham Lincoln Courts Mary Todd in Springfield; Piece of the Country Sofa from Holzer Collection

 

This piece of horsehair upholstery from the sofa of Ninian and Elizabeth Edwards in Springfield, Illinois, was owned by prominent Lincolniana Collector Harold Holzer. On the sofa from which this fabric came, Abraham Lincoln courted Elizabeth Edwards’s sister Mary Todd. They married on November 4, 1842.

 

The piece from the sofa is mounted on a sheet with a certificate of authenticity, number 18 of 85, signed by Chuck Hand, a prominent dealer in Lincolniana. Accompanied by the corresponding limited edition brochure, number 18 of 85, written by Daniel E. Pearson, and signed by both Pearson and Chuck Hand. The sofa was restored in 2014, and this piece came from that restoration. Horsehair, the long, coarse hair from the tail and mane of horses, was popular for use in upholstery because of its durability.

 

[ABRAHAM LINCOLN.] Piece of Upholstery from Courting Sofa from Edwards Home. 1.75" x 1.75", c. 1840.

 

Historical Background. Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd first met at a dance in Springfield, Illinois, in 1838, when Lincoln was 29 and Mary 19. Mary moved to Springfield from Lexington, Kentucky, to join her sisters Elizabeth Todd Edwards and Ann Todd Smith, who had already found husbands in Springfield. Born to wealth and privilege, Mary Todd had an extensive education and was fluent in French and English. Lincoln, by contrast, had little formal schooling and grew up in relative poverty.

 

Although the Edwardses did not approve of the match, they allowed Abraham and Mary to meet at their home, where they sat and talked on an Empire-style, horsehair-covered sofa. They became engaged in 1840, but broke it off on January 1, 1841, sending Lincoln into a depression. In the summer of 1841, they resumed meeting at the home of Simeon Francis, the editor of the local Whig newspaper.

 

They married in a small ceremony in the Edwards home in November 1842, performed by Episcopal minister Charles Dresser. The newlyweds initially lived in the Globe Tavern in Springfield.

 

Provenance: This piece is from the collection of Harold Holzer (b. 1949), a prominent Lincoln scholar and collector of Lincolniana. He is the author or editor of fifty-two books, most on Abraham Lincoln, and specializes in representations of Lincoln in visual culture. Holzer was senior vice president for public affairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York from 1992 to 2015 and served as co-chair of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission from 2000 to 2010.

 

 


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.

December 5, 2018 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

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