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Lincolniana, Heritage’s Lincoln and His Time Auction & the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop

A Carte-de-Visite of Abraham Lincoln, taken by Mathew Brady in Washington, D.C. in 1862 and signed by the president, realized $175,000 in the auction.
A Carte-de-Visite of Abraham Lincoln, taken by Mathew Brady in Washington, D.C. in 1862 and signed by the president, realized $175,000 in the auction.

When Heritage Auctions gaveled-in to begin the “Lincoln and His Times” sale on Sept. 17, 2016, you can be certain that Daniel Weinberg was assessing the action. Weinberg, who owns Chicago’s Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, is an uncontested expert in Lincolniana, and it’s unlikely that he would have missed this event. The sale was the first major Lincolniana auction that Heritage has held since 2006, when it offered the Henry Luhrs & Lincoln Library collections.

The undertaking was a joint effort with The Rail Splitter, a quarterly journal whose subscribers include collectors, dealers and scholars interested in Lincoln and the material culture of the Civil War period. Held in recognition of the 20th Anniversary of The Rail Splitter, the auction featured nearly 800 lots including ephemera, flags & banners, medals, photographs, sculptures, clothing and other period artifacts. The event grossed more than $2.4 million, led by an1852 gold medal honoring Secretary of State Henry Clay that brought $346,000.

Weinberg says he wasn’t surprised by the higher-than-estimated prices attained at the auction: “Auction estimates are always conservative,” he said.

In these days of price transparency, bidders can usually discover how much a collector or dealer paid for an item. For accessing an item’s price history, the archived records of an auction house and the WorthPoint Worthopedia database are useful.

“WorthPoint is a great tool to have,” said Weinberg.

A massive U.S. Mint medal of “pure California gold,” struck for presentation to Henry Clay, Abraham Lincoln’s own “ideal of a great man,” in recognition of Clay’s half-century of public service, presented to Clay in 1852, was the top lot in the Heritage Auctions’ “Lincoln and His Times sale, gaveling for $346,000.
A massive U.S. Mint medal of “pure California gold,” presented to Henry Clay, Abraham Lincoln’s own “ideal of a great man,” was the top lot in the Heritage Auctions’ “Lincoln and His Times sale, gaveling for $346,000.

Price data alone isn’t enough to make an informed decision, though. According to Weinberg, one must be aware of the general market for an item in order to adequately analyze the data offered. How many are available for sale? Are they genuine? What is their condition? What is the reputation of the seller? Weinberg compares the vetting process to using a GPS: a device will suggest a route based on map data alone; but one who knows current road conditions may choose to ignore the GPS and take an alternate route. Knowledge of current conditions is always an advantage to a collector.

As part of a vetting process, item descriptions and photos should be thoroughly examined, as should the terms of sale. Buyers who bid without an understanding of the marketplace risk overpaying, and are in for a disappointment when they discover that comparable items are available for sale at lower prices. “Auctions are perilous,” said Weinberg.

Weinberg’s grasp of the Lincolniana market is unparalleled. The Abraham Lincoln Book Shop was established in 1938, and quickly became a gathering place for leading writers and Civil War scholars such as Carl Sandburg, Bruce Catton and William O. Douglas. Weinberg has an international reputation as an authority in the buying, selling, appraisal and authentication of historical, literary, artistic and museum properties related to Lincolniana and presidential pieces.

It’s notable that the founding chapter of the Civil War Roundtable was formed at the bookshop. Roundtable chapters have subsequently formed in cities around the United States; there are currently hundreds of Civil War Roundtables in the U.S. and abroad.

Weinberg’s involvement in the shop began in 1971, when he was offered a partnership by the shop’s founder, Ralph Newman. In 1984 Weinberg purchased Newman’s interest in the shop and became its sole proprietor.

In addition to Lincolniana, the book store offers material related to U.S. presidents, rare and in-print books, autographs, manuscripts, ephemera, photographs, artwork and sculptures.

This letter, dated Dec. 13, 1836 letter is one of Lincoln’s earliest surviving missives. It is the first of three written to his first fiancée, Mary Owens, and is considered very significant by Lincoln scholars for the insight it gives us into Lincoln the man. It realized $137,500.
This letter, dated Dec. 13, 1836,  is one of Lincoln’s earliest surviving missives. It is the first of three written to his first fiancée, Mary Owens, and is considered very significant by Lincoln scholars for the insight it gives us into Lincoln the man. It realized $137,500.

“Our shop layout resembles a museum more than a bookstore,” admits Weinberg. “One might say we are a museum where customers can walk away with the exhibits.”

The shop’s customers include “collectors and scholars, professional historians and independent writers, dedicated first edition hunters,” as well as bibliophiles and history enthusiasts. To serve this clientele more effectively, Weinberg has initiated the Author’s Voice™ project.

Originating in 2005 as Virtual Book Signing™ and having a history focus, Author’s Voice has expanded its offerings and audience to include literature for children and young readers, U.S. history, mystery novels, science fiction, romance, and poetry. Author’s Voice consists of live-streamed, interactive programs in which a knowledgeable host interviews leading authors in the book shop’s production studio. Audience members are able to view the program live and submit questions to the author. At the conclusion of each program, viewers are able to purchase a signed copy of an author’s book and have it shipped directly to their home. Archived Author’s Voice™ programs are available here.

The shop is now in its sixth Chicago location, at 824 W. Superior St., Ste. 100, Chicago, IL 60642. It can be reached by phone at 312-944-3085 or by email at lincolnian@aol.com.


Wayne Jordan is a Virginia-licensed auctioneer, Certified Personal Property Appraiser and Accredited Business Broker. He has held the professional designations of Certified Estate Specialist; Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate; Certified Auction Specialist, Residential Real Estate and Accredited Business Broker. He also has held state licenses in Real Estate and Insurance. Wayne is a regular columnist for Antique Trader Magazine, a WorthPoint Worthologist (appraiser) and the author of two books.

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