The iconic photograph of a beardless Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), future 16th U.S. President, originally taken on June 3, 1860 by Chicago photographer Alexander Hesler (1823-1895). The black and white glossy photograph was printed using interpositive glass plates developed from Hesler's original negatives, ca. 1950s-1970s, by the Springfield photo studio of Herbert Georg at the behest of Abraham Lincoln scholar King V. Hostick, who had discovered a duplicate set in 1952. Ostendorf no. 26, Meserve no. 26. Matted behind glass in a gilt-washed mahogany-finished frame. Not examined out of the frame. The sight size of the photograph is 9.75" x 13" while the overall size of the frame is 14.25" x 17.375" x 2." Provenance: From the Estate of American television actor Robert Vaughan (1932-2016), purchased at Ridgefield, Connecticut in May 2021. Please note: the second Lincoln reprint shown and described in the Vaughan sale documentation is NOT included in this lot.

Alexander Hesler had photographed four views of Abraham Lincoln in a single sitting at the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois on June 3, 1860. Lincoln had recently been nominated as presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention held in Chicago two weeks earlier, on May 18, 1860. Of the 36 extant photographs of Lincoln taken before assuming the presidency, ca. 1846/1847- February 1861, Hesler's portraits are some of the best known. They were praised by Lincoln himself, who is quoted as saying, "Well, that looks right, and expresses me better than any I have seen." Hesler's portraits were prized not only for accurately documenting Lincoln's dominant physical features, but also for capturing the spirit, or essence, of the aspiring politician. This view of Lincoln turning right corresponds to Hesler's "Negative No. 1."

Alexander Hesler sold some of his original glass negatives to Philadelphia photographer George B. Ayres in 1867. Ayres developed interpositive glass plates from the original Hesler negatives and used them to make reprints and enlargements. In 1952, a duplicate set of interpositive glass plates from Ayres' estate was discovered by King V. Hostick (1914-1993), an Abraham Lincoln scholar, manuscripts dealer, and the director of the Illinois State Historical Society, among other institutions. Hostick collaborated with Springfield photographer Herbert Georg (1893-1964) to make reprints, and bequeathed the interpositives to the Illinois State Historical Society upon his death in 1993.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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