By Thomas Best
Not surprisingly, on President’s Day recently, my wife and I joined some friends and attended a lecture in Mount Pleasant, Iowa in the historic Union Block Building regarding the collecting of Lincoln memorabilia. This was nothing unusual for such a holiday, but the author of the address was somewhat unique. The person who gave this interesting address was not a seasoned collector with silver hair, but a college student, who couldn’t have been more than 19 years-old.
Ethan Afshani, from Buffalo, New York, who had just come from a national event celebrating the life of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, discussed how he had come to this hobby by way of his grandmother who was an antiques dealer. Of course, it was his fascination with our 16th president from Illinois which truly put him on this path of studies.
In a historic room in which Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth once gave spirited addresses related to the days of Lincoln and the emancipation of slaves, Afshani offered glimpses at several artifacts which were once possessed by Lincoln and his family. This was appropriate because we were in Mount Pleasant, the home of the Harlan/Lincoln House—which you may know had connections to Robert Todd Lincoln and his wife, a Harlan.
We were privileged to see two examples of reading glasses once belonging to Lincoln. As Afshani explained, the glasses had connections to the extended family of the Robert Todd and his wife. Yet, what was fascinating is how we could be more assured that these reading glasses once rested on Lincoln’s nose and ears. The reading glasses which Lincoln typically wore, and were in his pocket the night of his assassination, matched up with the strength in these other examples. There was also a connection to an advertisement to a glasses company which advertised itself as selling the same glasses worn by Lincoln. This was a match as well.
Our lecturer also showed off an aging photograph with a lock of the hair of Mary Todd Lincoln. Small dark strands resided in the case, a distant reminder of the wife of our most renowned commander-in-chief. Afshani also offered a description in analyzing some strands of hair he had acquired from Abraham Lincoln. At one time, it was not uncommon for admirers to ask for hair samples, and Lincoln—or his barber—obliged.
Finally, Afshani discussed a topic which many found fascinating. How can one be sure that what they had acquired was authentic and not a fake? This is obviously crucial to collectors when large sums of money are often at stake. First noting that fakes are more common than actual artifacts—especially signatures—the challenge is to find as air-tight supporting evidence as possible. Such provenance is secured with supporting letters or those who were close to Lincoln. Consulting experts in collecting and Lincoln scholars, which this young man has done religiously, is likewise a wide approach.
I will close with this information: If you wish to learn more about the Lincoln and Mount Pleasant connection—just about an hour west of Monmouth—you can visit the Harlan/Lincoln home after it opens again for the season at HarlanLincoln.org and note that their usual visiting times are on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting in March.
