Description:

Abraham Lincoln
Boston, MA, ca. 1909
Beardless Abraham Lincoln! Ca. 1909 Caproni & Bro. Plaster Cast Of 1860 Leonard Volk Life Mask, Ex-Harold Holzer
Other

An extremely rare ca. 1909 Caproni & Brothers (Boston, Massachusetts) plaster casting of Leonard Volk's 1860 life mask of future 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), before the 51-year-old Lincoln grew his signature statesmanlike beard. The plaster casting rests on a partial plinth engraved "Mask of / Lincoln / 1860" across its base. On the hollow interior, a metal manufacturer's plate reads "P.P. Caproni & Bro. / … / Boston." Expected wear and weathering including scattered surface loss, notably to Lincoln's left ear. The plaster casting measures approximately 8" x 11.5" x 6.5." Accompanied by an Auction Certificate from RR Auction (Amherst, New Hampshire.) Provenance: From Harold Holzer, a prominent Lincoln scholar and Lincolniana collector, and author or editor of more than 50 books focusing on visual representations of Lincoln. Holzer served as co-chair of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission from 2000-2010.

American sculptor Leonard Volk (1828-1895) first met Lincoln in 1858 during the latter's campaign for the U.S. Senate, and invited him to sit for a bust. Although Lincoln agreed, the sitting would occur some two years later, in the spring of 1860, shortly before Lincoln received the Republican nomination for president. According to Volk: "My studio was in the fifth story, and there were no elevators in those days, and I soon learned to distinguish his [Lincoln's] steps on the stairs, and am sure he frequently came up two, if not three, steps at a stride." Of Lincoln's life mask plaster-casting process, Volk recounted: "It was about an hour before the mold was ready to be removed, and being all in one piece, with both ears perfectly taken, it clung pretty hard, as the cheek-bones were higher than the jaws at the lobe of the ear. He bent his head low and took hold of the mold, and gradually worked it off without breaking or injury; it hurt a little, as a few hairs of the tender temples pulled out with the plaster and made his eyes water." Although Volk affirmed Lincoln's comment that the process was "anything but agreeable," he reported that the future president was an overall pleasant subject, noting that "he would talk almost unceasingly, telling some of the funniest and most laughable of stories, but he talked little of politics or religion during those sittings."

Italian brothers Pietro Paulo Caproni (1862-1928) and Emilio Caproni founded their plastering company in Boston, Massachusetts in 1892. They made and sold copies of sculptural masterpieces to museums, schools, cultural institutions, and private collectors. This Lincoln mask was likely offered by the Caproni Brothers in a "Special Circular for the Lincoln Centenary, February 12, 1909," distributed to promote sales around the centennial of Lincoln's birth.

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!

    Dimensions:
  • approximately 8" x 11.5" x 6.5"
  • Artist Name:
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Medium:
  • Other<br />

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide 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 that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, 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. 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.

April 23, 2025 10:00 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