Lincoln 1860 ambrotype in Heritage sale

By Paul Gilkes

Published: Nov 21, 2016, 10 AM

Abraham Lincoln ambrotype from the 1860 presidential campaign features photographer Mathew Brady’s “Cooper Union” portrait of the future 16th president.

Original images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

George Clark & Co. in Boston issued this Abraham Lincoln ambrotype for the 1860 presidential campaign.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

1920 Democratic presidential hopeful Ohio Gov. James M. Cox and his running mate, Franklin D. Roosevelt, are depicted on this extremely rare and desirable campaign button.

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

One of the most important 19th century political banners in collectors’ hands is this Horace Greeley banner from the 1872 presidential campaign.

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctins.

An extremely rare and popular Abraham Lincoln ambrotype from the 1860 presidential campaign highlights Heritage Auctions’ Dec. 3 sale in Dallas.

The piece is one of 913 lots to be offered, with Lots 43001 through 43536 offered in a floor session beginning at 10 a.m. CT and the remaining lots only offered online.

A buyer’s fee of 25 percent will be added to the winning bid on the first $200,000 (minimum $19), plus 20 percent of any amount between $200,000 and $2 million, plus 12 percent of any amount over $2 million per lot.

Lincoln ambrotype

The Lincoln ambrotype features the “Cooper Union” portrait of the future 16th president by photographer Mathew Brady.

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The ambrotype was based on the wet plate collodion process invented by Frederick Scott Archer. Ambrotypes were deliberately underexposed negatives made by that process and optimized for viewing as positives instead. The process was introduced in the United States in the mid-19th century.

The piece offered was issued by George Clark & Co. from Boston for the 1860 presidential campaign, which sent Lincoln to the White House as the nation’s 16th president.

The piece measures 2.125 inches by 2.5 inches.

Cox and Roosevelt

Thje St. Louis Button Company produced the 0.875-inch color jugate button featuring the 1920 Democratic Party nominee for president, Ohio Gov. James M. Cox, a newspaper publisher, and his running mate, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who would seek and win his first of four elections for president in 1932.

An eagle and shield appear above the jugate portraits, with an American flag below, all against a background of sun rays.

This design was first introduced in the election of 1904, then resurrected for Theodore Roosevelt and Hiram Johnson in 1912, and again for the major party candidates of 1920.

Horace Greeley banner

Founder and editor of the New York Tribune, Horace Greeley was the Liberal Republican Party candidate for president in 1872.

Among the political campaign items issued for Greeley was a red, white and blue campaign banner with albumen photo and goldleaf trim.

It is considered by some in political item collecting as one of the most important 19th century political banners in collectors' hands. The banner is illustrated in Threads of History: Compilation of American History Recorded on Cloth by Herbert Ridgeway Collins and is the only portrait campaign textile listed by Collins.