Description:

Lincoln Abraham 1809 - 1865 Rare free franked address leaf by Abraham Lincoln as a member of Congress - this was used as an illustration in "The American Stampless"

Full Address Leaf Free Franked by him as a Member of Congress with "Free A. Lincoln M.C." at upper right. Lincoln has addressed the leaf to Chatham Simms, Jacksonville, Illinois. Fine condition, darkly penned. Lincoln served as U.S. Congressman from Illinois from Dec. 6, 1847 to March 4, 1849, so this free frank would date from that period. He had the franking privilege at three times in his life; as Postmaster of New Salem, Illinois in 1833, as Congressman, and as President. This Lincoln free franked address leaf to Simms is used as the illustration of a Lincoln frank as Member of Congress in The American Stampless Cover Catalog, Vol. 2 (page 209) A well known Lincoln free frank.

From the Robert Batchelder collection, priced by him at $6,500.

Provenance:

This remarkable piece is offered directly from the estate of Robert Batchelder, among the most important dealers of the 20th century who began his passion in autographs and historical documents in the late 1960's. Each piece will include Robert's original description indicating the noted retail price which could have been 20 years ago. in addition to his inventory folder containing his handwritten notes. Robert's highly diverse background and amazing achievements include a long list of important sociÕ©tal memberships, examples worthy of noting include an honorary member of the Society Cincinnati, a member of the Manuscript Society, the ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America), the ANA (American Numismatic Association), the PAGCA (Pennsylvania Antique Gun Collectors Association), the PADA (Professional Autograph Dealer Association), and the UACC (Universal Autograph Collectors Club). He was a graduate of University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and served in the U.S. Army Air Force.

A portion of the commission on Batchelder lots will be donated to the Alzheimer's Foundation.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. 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 20% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

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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