60 Great Books Bauman Rare Books - 16 - An Extraordinary Civil War Collection: A Monumental Biography Of Lincoln, Extra-Illustrated With More Than 140 Civil War Era Photographs And More Than 60 Signatures, Inscriptions, Letters And Documents Of The Most Important Politicians, Military Leaders, And Cultural Figures Of The Civil War, Including Lincoln Twice, Sherman, Stonewall Jackson, Grant, Lee, Frederick Douglass, And John Wilkes Booth, With Additional Ephemera, In 20 Finely Bound Volumes 14. (LINCOLN, Abraham) NICOLAY, John and HAY, John. Abraham Lincoln: A History. New York, 1890. Ten volumes bound in twenty. Octavo, modern full red morocco gilt. $135,000. First edition of this magisterial biography, with ten frontispiece portraits of Lincoln, numerous maps and diagrams and over 300 wood-engraved illustrations, mostly portraits of dignitaries—many produced from Mathew Brady photographs—handsomely bound by Sangorski and Sutcliffe. This copy extraillustrated with over 140 original, Civil-War era albumen photographs, including several of Lincoln from cartes-de-visite; engravings (several in color); maps; Civil War ephemera; a handbill from Lincoln’s first presidential election; and with tipped-in signatures, inscriptions, letters and documents of more than 60 important figures in Civil War history, including: an autograph note signed by Lincoln and an autograph document signed by Lincoln; inscriptions of Stephen Douglas, Daniel Webster, Stonewall Jackson, Frederick Douglass, William Tecumseh Sherman, Ulysses S. Grant (one signature, one inscription), Robert E. Lee, John Wilkes Booth, Ralph Waldo Emerson; signatures of Horace Greeley, Andrew Johnson, and many others. With an extraordinary, unique collection of tipped-in ephemera such as presidential campaign flyers and advertisements (including a Lincoln-Hamlin handbill from the 1860 election); more than 140 contemporary original photographs of the most notable figures in Lincoln’s life and during the Civil War, including many carte-de-visite photographs; engravings of people and battle scenes; maps; and more than 60 autographs. The autograph document signed by Lincoln dates from his days as a lawyer in Illinois on the circuit court, and involves a case of contract law. This document, entirely in Lincoln’s hand, reads: “John Durley vs. Jess Mitts & Japhet A. Ball. Trespass on the case upon promises. Damage $200.00. The clerk of the Sangamon Circuit Court will issue process in the above entitled cause returnable to the next term of said court. Aug. 28 1838. Stuart & Lincoln. For. Plff [plaintiff].” The autograph note signed by Lincoln dates from his presidency, and concerns a request from a young woman for a job. The letter is on the recto, and Lincoln’s note on the verso reads: “I would be very glad for Miss Hebb to be obliged, if it is at all convenient. A. Lincoln. Feb. 23, 1863.” Among the photographs in the collection is the last studio photograph taken of Lincoln, a tender scene of himself with his son Tad, taken by Anthony Berger at Mathew Brady’s gallery on February 9, 1864. A magnificent set in fine condition.
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