The auction of Abraham Lincoln’s personal belongings generated significant interest, with one item, a pair of bloodstained gloves from the night of his assassination, drawing the highest bid. The gloves, which were in Lincoln’s pocket at Ford’s Theatre the night he was shot, sold for $1.52 million, including buyer’s premium fees. Other notable items included a handkerchief and a ‘wanted’ poster for the assassins, which also fetched high prices. The event was part of an effort to repay a loan taken by the Lincoln Presidential Foundation.
The auction of the 144 items by Freeman’s/Hindman in Chicago sold 136 of the items, raising a total of $7.9 million, including buyer’s premium on each sale. The artifacts came from the foundation’s 1,540-item assemblage purchased in 2007 from Louise Taper for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The auction was held to fund payments on a loan from 20 years ago that was taken out by the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. The notebook showcasing Lincoln’s handwriting from 1824 fetched $521,200. It’s reportedly the earliest known sample of his handwriting, according to AP.
The auction marked a significant event in the history of historical artifact sales, highlighting the enduring fascination with Lincoln’s legacy. The sale of the bloodstained gloves, in particular, underscores the historical and emotional value associated with items connected to Lincoln’s life and assassination. While the foundation’s financial situation was a key driver for the auction, the event also served as a means to preserve and showcase Lincoln’s legacy through the sale of rare and historically significant items.