Abraham Lincoln - Assassination - Fords Theater

Home > Worthopedia – Price Guide > Fraternal, Political, Organizations >

Abraham Lincoln - Assassination - Fords Theater - RARE!

Terms and Conditions for using our site

Abraham Lincoln - Assassination - Fords Theater - RARE!

Sold For:

or Sign In to see what it's worth.

Sold Date: 12/26/2008
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Fraternal, Political, Organizations

I have been collecting newspapers for over 20 years, and honestly have never seen one of these before. While newspapers reporting Lincoln's Assassination are relatively common to find on Ebay and in other ephemera sources, this is NOT an assassination newspaper. What we have is a copy of the National Intelligencer, from Washington DC, from the week of Lincoln's Assassination. Naturally, it is full of exciting information about the end of the civil war, the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virgina...and that in and of itself would make this an incredible exciting and sought after piece of history. What makes this special, however, is the advertisement which appears on Page One just below the header, inviting all to buy tickets to attend the final week of performances at Ford's Theater, starring Laura Keene, Harry Hawk and the remaining cast who would witness the fateful event that Friday night. What interesting to me, and something which I'm shocked that I didn't know as a Lincoln Buff, is that the first shows of the week, still starring Laura Keene and Harry Hawk, were not "Our American Cousin." They apparently performed a different show on Tuesday, Wed, and Thursday...and then performed the benefit show of Our American Cousin Friday night for Lincoln. Hawk, of course, was the sole actor on stage when Lincoln was shot, and was kicked by Booth as he fled through the back door of the theater. This has been a part of my personal collection for 15 years, and I have mixed feelings about parting with it, but I found it in my files the other day, and I suppose if I'm not going to have it hanging on a wall w it belongs, that I might as well pass it along to the next owner to cherish. Any questions, by all means feel free to ask. Thanks Steve