Lincoln Conspirators
[New York, NY], Early 20th century
After Gardner Photo of Lincoln Conspirator Lewis Powell from the Frederick Meserve Collection
Photograph

A photograph of Lewis Powell (1844-1865), one of four Lincoln conspirators executed for his role in the coordinated plan to simultaneously assassinate 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, Secretary of State William H. Seward, and General Ulysses S. Grant on April 14, 1865. Printed ca. 1910, from the personal collection of world-renowned Lincoln collector Frederick H. Meserve (1865-1962). The photo is hand-stamped "Collection / Of / Americana / Frederick H. Meserve / 265 Edgecombe Avenue / New York City" verso. The photo is housed in construction paper wrappers inscribed in Meserve's hand as "Payne" (one of Powell's aliases) along the bottom edge. Expected surface wear including gentle corner and other folds. An isolated divot is found just near Powell's forehead and is mentioned only for accuracy, else near fine. The photo measures 2.125" x 3.25."

Lewis Powell (who had several aliases including Lewis Payne, Lewis Wood, and Lewis Hall) was a Confederate veteran and secret service agent who had been tasked with assassinating Secretary of State William H. Seward on April 14, 1865. Although he did not succeed in killing Seward, Powell had brutally attacked the convalescing politician while he was prone in bed and also severely wounded Seward's son and several other attendants who had been present. Powell was convicted of his involvement in the conspiracy and executed on July 7, 1865 at Washington's Old Arsenal Penitentiary, today Fort Lesley McNair.

This photograph shows Powell wearing a dark sweater and "lily irons," a type of modified handcuffs that prohibited moving the hands independently or bending them at the wrists. The prisoner was seated aboard the "U.S.S. Saugus," an ironclad single-turreted monitor ship where the alleged conspirators were incarcerated in April 1865. The photograph was one of many views of Powell originally taken by Alexander Gardner (1821-1882) on April 27, 1865. Gardner had been hired by the federal government to document the imprisonment and execution of Lincoln's conspirators. Gardner seemed to be most fascinated with Powell of all of the prisoners; he photographed the prisoner standing, seated, in a coat and hat, in a sweater, and with and without irons. Perhaps Gardner was intrigued by Powell's mutinous and unrepentant expression.

Frederick H. Meserve was a preeminent collector of Lincoln and Civil War-era photography, ephemera, maps, and books. He began collecting Lincolniana in 1897, with the intention of illustrating his father's Civil War diary. In the early 1900s, Meserve acquired 10,000 original Brady negatives including seven Lincoln portraits. Meserve continued collecting Lincoln likenesses, as well as photos of Lincoln's contemporaries, over the next sixty years. He eventually amassed a collection of 200,000 pieces including some previously "lost" or unknown images of Lincoln. Meserve's collection was so esteemed for its completeness that he essentially became the custodian of "Lincoln's image." Meserve was approached by medal and currency engravers, as well as by the sculptors of Lincoln's Memorial Monument, for direct access to his presidential photographs. In 2015, the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection was acquired by the Yale Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (New Haven, Connecticut.)

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!
2.125" x 3.25"