Heritage Auctions will offer the outstanding Donald P Dow collection of Lincolniana, Americana and political memorabilia on January 24 in Dallas.
 The hair is taken from Lincoln's horse |
An esteemed collector, Dow compiled some of the finest Abraham Lincoln memorabilia over a 50 year period, with a focus on the president's assassination.
Among the lead lots is a unique mourning relic featuring a carte-de-visite photo of Lincoln surrounded by a wreath of horse hair and studded with pearls. The hair is taken from Robin, or "Old Bob", Lincoln's own horse, who walked in the place of honour behind the hearse in his funeral procession.
The hair was taken by Dr William Wallace, Lincoln's personal physician and close family friend, after whom the president named his third son.
The collection is very strong in its autographs, offering over 20 examples of Lincoln's signature, with three from his assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and a desirable series of carte-de-visites from the conspirators in the plot to kill the president.
Also featuring is an eleven-page eyewitness account of the assassination that is considered the most extensive and accurate of all contemporary reports.
Among the most exciting lots is the manuscript diary of James O'Bierne, the man who chased John Wilkes Booth for 12 days along the banks of the Potomac before handing him over to the authorities.
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