Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - January - 2010 Issue

Abraham Lincoln from Seth Kaller, Inc.

Kallerlincoln2009

Abraham Lincoln is the subject of Seth Kaller's latest catalogue.


By Michael Stillman

Seth Kaller, Inc., has issued a catalogue devoted to Abraham Lincoln and his legacy. It begins with an unknown Lincoln preparing documents in his law office and concludes with Theodore Roosevelt citing Lincoln as an example of promoting independent views within a political party, rather being forced to tow the party bosses' line. Within this collection you will find numerous Lincoln signed documents, including some of great historical importance. For those able to collect Lincoln on a very high level, this is a catalogue you definitely should see. These are a few of the items Kaller is now offering.

In 1843, Lincoln was contemplating his first run for national office, that of congressman from his Illinois district. On February 14, he wrote a very soft and self-effacing letter to Congressman Alden Hull. Addressed to "Friend Hull," Lincoln does not ask for his support. Rather, he simply requests, "If...there are any whigs in Tazewell who would as soon I should represent them as any other person, I would be glad they would not cast me aside until they see and hear further what turn things take." Lincoln then goes on to emphasize that he is not assuming Hull to favor him over other whigs, but that he merely wished to "...communicate a fact which I wish my particular friends (if I have any) to know." Ultimately, Lincoln did not receive the nomination as the whigs agreed on rotating nominations, with Lincoln being nominated and elected in 1846, and serving a single term in Congress. Priced at $90,000.

In the spring of 1862, several months before issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln proposed a program of compensated emancipation for the border states as a means of gaining greater support. The idea was to pay slaveholders for their emancipated slaves. Lincoln figured this would cost $173 million, or the cost of funding the war for 87 days. He believed the loyalty purchased would shorten the war by more than 87 days, making this a wise financial investment. On March 5 of 1862, Lincoln wrote this brief message to his Secretary of State: "Please summon the cabinet to meet me here at 7:00 this evening." While Lincoln did not state the purpose, a notation in another hand points out that the following day Lincoln sent his message to Congress recommending compensated emancipation. This was the topic of the meeting Lincoln called. Lincoln's plan never garnered much support, and so a few months later, he took the more drastic step of emancipating all of the slaves in the states in rebellion (though not those in the border states considered in this proposal) without compensation. $180,000.

It was a brief, yet momentous speech Lincoln made on November 19, 1863. The President had come to Gettysburg to dedicate the battlefield as a memorial to those who had died defending the Union. His speech was short, almost an afterthought after that of Edward Everett, one of the great orators of the day, who spoke for almost two hours. Lincoln was wrong about one thing in his brief speech, that "the world will little note nor long remember what we say here." His speech has been recited by countless generations of schoolchildren and at least in part is familiar to millions of Americans still today. Offered are two of the first day publications of the Gettysburg Address from November 20, 1863, one from the New York Times and the other from the New York Herald. Both papers also contain Everett's long and forgotten speech. Each is priced at $9,500.

Rare Book Monthly

  • <b><center>Swann Auction Galleries<br>Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books:<br>At Auction June 22, 2023</b>
    <b>Swann June 22:</b> George Mivart, <i>A Monograph of the Lories, or Brush-Tongued Parrots, Composing the Family Loriidae,</i> London, 1896. $5,000 to $7,000.
    <b>Swann June 22:</b> Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr, <i>Atlas Coelestis in Quo Mundus Spectabilis et in Eodem Stellarum Omnium Phoenomena Notabilia, Homann Heirs,</i> 1742. $8,000 to $12,000.
    <b>Swann June 22:</b> John Fisk Allen; & William Sharp, <i>Victoria Regia; or the Great Water Lily of America,</i> Boston, 1854. $15,000 to $20,000.
    <b>Swann June 22:</b> Schenk & Valk, <i>America Septentrionalis,</i> Amsterdam, circa 1694. $2,000 to $3,000.
    <b>Swann June 22:</b> Robert Burton, <i>The English Empire in America…Illustrated with Maps & Pictures,</i> London, 1685. $2,000 to $3,000.
  • <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>A fourth selection of 16th and 17th Century English Books from the Fox Pointe Manor Library<br>15th June 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Hobbes (Thomas). <i>Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme & Power of a Common-Wealth,</i> first edition, first issue, 1651. £10,000 to £15,000.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> [Burton (Robert)] "Democritus Junior". <i>The Anatomy of Melancholy,</i> first edition, Oxford, Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, 1621. £8,000 to £12,000.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Fletcher (Giles). <i>Of the Russe Common Wealth,</i> first edition, Printed by T[homas] D[awson] for Thomas Charde, 1591. £7,000 to £10,000.
    <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>A fourth selection of 16th and 17th Century English Books from the Fox Pointe Manor Library<br>15th June 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Shakespeare source book.- Fraunce (Abraham). <i>The Lawiers Logike, exemplifying the praecepts of Logike by the practise of the common Lawe,</i> first edition, 1588. £4,000 to £6,000.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Fireworks.- Babington (John.) <i>Pyrotechnia or, A discourse of artificiall fire-works…,</i> 2 parts in 1 vol., first edition, Thomas Harper for Ralph Mab, 1635. £4,000 to £6,000.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Gardening.- [Bonnefons (Nicolas de)]. <i>The French Gardiner instructing how to cultivate all sorts of Fruit-Trees and Herbs for the Garden, translated by John Evelyn,</i> third edition, 1675. £3,500 to £4,500.
    <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>A fourth selection of 16th and 17th Century English Books from the Fox Pointe Manor Library<br>15th June 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Witchcraft.- F. (H.) <i>A true and exact Relation Of the severall Informations, Examinations, and Confessions of the late Witches…,</i> first edition, 1645. £3,000 to £4,000.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Science.- Boyle (Robert). <i>The Origine of Formes and Qualities (According to the Corpuscular Philosophy),</i> first edition, Oxford, H. Hall for Ric: Davis, 1666. £3,000 to £4,000.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Massinger (Philip). <i>The Unnaturall Combat. A Tragedie,</i> first edition, Printed by E.G. for John Waterson, 1639. £2,000 to £3,000.
    <center><b>Forum Auctions<br>A fourth selection of 16th and 17th Century English Books from the Fox Pointe Manor Library<br>15th June 2023</b>
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Plastic Surgery.- Read (Alexander). <i>Chirurgorum Comes: or the Whole Practice of Chirurgery,</i> first edition, Printed by Edw. Jones, for Christopher Wilkinson, 1687. £2,000 to £3,000.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Hall (Edward). <i>The Union of the two noble and illustre famelies of Lancaster & Yorke…,</i> [by Richard Grafton], 1550. £2,200 to £2,500.
    <b>Forum, June 15:</b> Cosmetics.- Jeamson (Thomas). <i>Artificiall Embellishments. Or Arts Best Directions How to Preserve Beauty or Procure it,</i> first edition, Oxford, Printed by William Hall, 1665. £1,000 to £1,500.
  • <b><center>Sotheby's<br>The Joanne Woodward & Paul Newman Collection<br>26 May - 12 June</b>
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> "Cool Hand Luke" | Paul Newman Academy Award® Nomination Plaque. USD$2500 - $3500
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> "Hud" | Bound presentation script incorporating photographic stills. USD$1000 - $1500
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> "The Long, Hot Summer" | Movie Poster. USD$1000 - $1500
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> Joseph Heller | "Catch-22," inscribed to Woodward & Newman by author. USD$500 - $800
    <b><center>Sotheby's<br>The Joanne Woodward & Paul Newman Collection<br>26 May - 12 June</b>
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> George H. W. Bush | Typed Letter Signed, Issuing a "Pardon" to Paul Newman. USD$1500 - $2000
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> William Jefferson Clinton | Inscribed Color Photograph. USD$1000 - $1500
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> Ken Kesey | Typed letter to “Paulnewman,” asking for further compensation for "Sometimes a Great Notion". USD$1000 - $1500
    <b>Sotheby’s, May 26 – Jun. 12:</b> "They Might Be Giants" | Costume sketches by Edith Head. USD$1000 - $2000

Review Search

Archived Reviews

Ask Questions