Description:

John Wilkes Booth
[Boston, MA], May 12, 1862
John Wilkes Booth Plays Boston, 1862
Playbill

An 1862 playbill advertising an evening performance by John Wilkes Booth. Oblong folio, 4.5" x 16" (double sided), Boston, ca. May 12, 1862. Booth's name is printed in bold near the lower margin at front, with an additional advertisement for a performance of "The Colleen Bawn" starring Kate Reignolds. Featuring a total of eight reviews on the reverse lauding Booth's performance as Richard III in New York the past March. Professional restoration to paper loss near center and lower third of verso, with an isolated strip along top edge affecting small segments of text. Uneven toning and areas of flattened creasing throughout. Good overall condition. An early example!

We sold a similar playbill in January 2021 for $5,625, though Heritage Auctions topped that in 2015 with an $8,750 realization.

Excerpts from Booth's reviews include:

- New York Tribune.
"Mr. J. Wilkes Booth is a head and shoulders above those who ordinarily attempt Richard III, in intellectual breadth and power of concentration… His death scene was absolutely lion-hearted."

- New York Times, March 19, 1862.
"His [Booth's] presence is intellectually impressive, his delivery natural and unstrained, his perception of character clear and vigorous. So many excellencies in an artist, new to the critical exactions of a metropolitan audience augur well for his aethetic [sic] perceptions, and promote unquestionably, a career of honor to himself and pleasure to the public.

- The Times and Messenger, Sunday Morning, March 23, 1862.
"His [Booth] announcement in the character of Richard III crowded the house beyond ordinary computation, and his first appearance sufficed to stamp him with the public as an actor of no ordinary ability, and as a worthy son of the 'great Booth.' His characteristics are a curious compound of his father and his brother… Comparisons can never be otherwise than odious, it is therefore not worth while to compare Mr. J. Wilkes Booths with his brother Edwin, when no chance has yet existed of judging with fairness between the two, and especially when both are capable of standing upon their own merits."

When the Civil War began on April 12, 1861, John Wilkes Booth was outspoken in his admiration for the South's secession, publicly calling it "heroic." This so enraged local citizens that they demanded that he be banned from the stage for making "treasonable statements." As the War raged on, Booth appeared mostly in Union and border states. In May 1862, he made his Boston debut, playing nightly at the Boston Museum in Richard III (May 12, 15 and 23), Romeo and Juliet (May 13), The Robbers (May 14 and 21), Hamlet (May 16), The Apostate (May 19), The Stranger (May 20), and The Lady of Lyons (May 22). Following his performance of Richard III on May 12, the Boston Transcript's review the next day called Booth "the most promising young actor on the American stage".

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: 4.5" x 16"
  • Medium: Playbill

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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

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.

March 25, 2026 10:30 AM EDT
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