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THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
LINCOLN, Abraham. The original pen-holder and pen nib USED BY PRESIDENT LINCOLN to sign into law "An Act to secure freedom to all persons in the Territories of the United States," signed in Washington, D.C., 19 June 1862.
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LINCOLN, Abraham. The original pen-holder and pen nib USED BY PRESIDENT LINCOLN to sign into law "An Act to secure freedom to all persons in the Territories of the United States," signed in Washington, D.C., 19 June 1862.
"THE PEN OF FREEDOM": USED BY LINCOLN TO EMANCIPATE SLAVES IN THE TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES: A PRECURSER OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
The pen-holder consisting of a tapered shaft of clear-lacquered cedar, with a French steel mounting stamped with the maker's cartouche: Blanzy, Poire & Cie.; the inserted American-made steel nib, stamped Bainbridge & Co. Together 7 in. (178mm). The pen and nib in a fitted, silk-lined compartment, housed in a large, folding custom-made blue morocco gilt display case, displaying two autograph attestations signed by John Hay (1838-1905), Lincoln's assistant private secretary, certifying the pen and its provenance, with a inset drawer containing extensive reference materials, including a copy of the Act and a Charles Hamilton authentication of the Hay certifications.
By 1862, Lincoln was under increasing pressure from vocal and influential anti-slavery advocates who urged him to abolish slavery by a simple Presidential proclamation, handily resolving the bitterly contested issue that had torn the nation apart, by the simple stroke of a pen. Lincoln perceived the Constitutional dilemma and the political complications clearly, and continued to maintain that such a proclamation might seriously weaken and jeopardize the Union cause. In March, to Horace Greeley, Lincoln mused "I am a little uneasy about the abolishment of slavery in this District, not but I would prefer to see it abolished..." On 16 April 1862, Congress--with a strong anti-slavery block and in the absence of opposition from the seceded states--passed, and Lincoln signed, the Act emancipating the slaves in the District of Columbia.
Emancipation agitation grew even more strident, and an emboldened Congress, invoking its authority to legislate for the territories not yet granted statehood, passed the historic act abolishing slavery in the territories. It stipulated: that: "there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in any of the Territories of the United States now existing, or which may at any time hereafter be formed or acquired by the United States, otherwise than in punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." This act was the most far-reaching emancipation legislation enacted to this date. At a stroke from the pen offered here, Lincoln signed into law legislation that freed all the slaves in a vast area, embracing the present-day states of Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Utah, and New-Mexico.
This act seemed to signal a new determination of Congress to endorse emancipation. Lincoln, at about this time, had come to the conclusion that his powers as commander-in-chief in wartime granted him the necessary authority to issue a presidential proclamation. In fact, on June 18, the day before he signed the Act abolishing slavery in territories, Lincoln had shown Hannibal Hamlin a first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. Three months later, after discussions with the Cabinet, the preliminary proclamation was issued, and 100 days later, Lincoln signed the final Emancipation Proclamation.
CENSUS OF EMANCIPATION PENS: Only three original pens used by Lincoln to sign legislation or proclamations relating to emancipation are known, two of the three are in permanent collections.
1) the present, used to sign the Act of Emancipation of the Territories, 19 June, 1862;
2) one used to sign the Act of Emancipation of the District of Columbia, 16 April 1862. Sold at Christie's, 7 December 1790, lot 234 ($77,000), now in the collection of Hampton University in Virginia;
3) The pen used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, 1 January 1863. Secured by Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner for George Livermore, a relation of whom presented it in 1911 to the Massachusetts Historical Society, where it remains today.
THE HAYS - WOOLWORTH PROVENANCE. The pen's provenance is utterly impeccable. It is accompanied by an early envelope inscribed and signed by Lincoln's assistant private secretary. The crease in the envelope where the pen rested is still visible, as is a drop of ink on the inside the envelope corresponding exactly to a small spot of ink corrosion on the pen nib--strongly suggesting that Hay may have been handed the pen by Lincoln immediately after his signature was affixed to the historic Act. Later, the pen came into the possession of the legendary merchant Frank W. Woolworth, who asked Hay to write and sign another attestation, on heavy card stock, probably because the envelope was by that date slightly soiled. In his rounder, late hand, Hays obligingly penned a virtually identical attestation. His original, 1862 certification reads "The pen with which the President signed the Bill giving Freedom to all the inhabitants of the Territories of the United States. June 19, 1862. John Hay, cert."
Provenance:
John Hay, assistant private secretary to President Lincoln, with contemporary and later attestations to the pen's authenticity -- Frank W. Woolworth (1852-1919), founder of the famous retail stores -- James Woolworth Donohue, his grandson, by descent (sale, Sloan's, Washington, D.C., 6 February 1977, lot 1403, $4,100.
"THE PEN OF FREEDOM": USED BY LINCOLN TO EMANCIPATE SLAVES IN THE TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES: A PRECURSER OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
The pen-holder consisting of a tapered shaft of clear-lacquered cedar, with a French steel mounting stamped with the maker's cartouche: Blanzy, Poire & Cie.; the inserted American-made steel nib, stamped Bainbridge & Co. Together 7 in. (178mm). The pen and nib in a fitted, silk-lined compartment, housed in a large, folding custom-made blue morocco gilt display case, displaying two autograph attestations signed by John Hay (1838-1905), Lincoln's assistant private secretary, certifying the pen and its provenance, with a inset drawer containing extensive reference materials, including a copy of the Act and a Charles Hamilton authentication of the Hay certifications.
By 1862, Lincoln was under increasing pressure from vocal and influential anti-slavery advocates who urged him to abolish slavery by a simple Presidential proclamation, handily resolving the bitterly contested issue that had torn the nation apart, by the simple stroke of a pen. Lincoln perceived the Constitutional dilemma and the political complications clearly, and continued to maintain that such a proclamation might seriously weaken and jeopardize the Union cause. In March, to Horace Greeley, Lincoln mused "I am a little uneasy about the abolishment of slavery in this District, not but I would prefer to see it abolished..." On 16 April 1862, Congress--with a strong anti-slavery block and in the absence of opposition from the seceded states--passed, and Lincoln signed, the Act emancipating the slaves in the District of Columbia.
Emancipation agitation grew even more strident, and an emboldened Congress, invoking its authority to legislate for the territories not yet granted statehood, passed the historic act abolishing slavery in the territories. It stipulated: that: "there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in any of the Territories of the United States now existing, or which may at any time hereafter be formed or acquired by the United States, otherwise than in punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." This act was the most far-reaching emancipation legislation enacted to this date. At a stroke from the pen offered here, Lincoln signed into law legislation that freed all the slaves in a vast area, embracing the present-day states of Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Utah, and New-Mexico.
This act seemed to signal a new determination of Congress to endorse emancipation. Lincoln, at about this time, had come to the conclusion that his powers as commander-in-chief in wartime granted him the necessary authority to issue a presidential proclamation. In fact, on June 18, the day before he signed the Act abolishing slavery in territories, Lincoln had shown Hannibal Hamlin a first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. Three months later, after discussions with the Cabinet, the preliminary proclamation was issued, and 100 days later, Lincoln signed the final Emancipation Proclamation.
CENSUS OF EMANCIPATION PENS: Only three original pens used by Lincoln to sign legislation or proclamations relating to emancipation are known, two of the three are in permanent collections.
1) the present, used to sign the Act of Emancipation of the Territories, 19 June, 1862;
2) one used to sign the Act of Emancipation of the District of Columbia, 16 April 1862. Sold at Christie's, 7 December 1790, lot 234 ($77,000), now in the collection of Hampton University in Virginia;
3) The pen used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, 1 January 1863. Secured by Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner for George Livermore, a relation of whom presented it in 1911 to the Massachusetts Historical Society, where it remains today.
THE HAYS - WOOLWORTH PROVENANCE. The pen's provenance is utterly impeccable. It is accompanied by an early envelope inscribed and signed by Lincoln's assistant private secretary. The crease in the envelope where the pen rested is still visible, as is a drop of ink on the inside the envelope corresponding exactly to a small spot of ink corrosion on the pen nib--strongly suggesting that Hay may have been handed the pen by Lincoln immediately after his signature was affixed to the historic Act. Later, the pen came into the possession of the legendary merchant Frank W. Woolworth, who asked Hay to write and sign another attestation, on heavy card stock, probably because the envelope was by that date slightly soiled. In his rounder, late hand, Hays obligingly penned a virtually identical attestation. His original, 1862 certification reads "The pen with which the President signed the Bill giving Freedom to all the inhabitants of the Territories of the United States. June 19, 1862. John Hay, cert."
Provenance:
John Hay, assistant private secretary to President Lincoln, with contemporary and later attestations to the pen's authenticity -- Frank W. Woolworth (1852-1919), founder of the famous retail stores -- James Woolworth Donohue, his grandson, by descent (sale, Sloan's, Washington, D.C., 6 February 1977, lot 1403, $4,100.