An incredibly rare image of Abraham Lincoln is heading to auction and could fetch up to $1 million. Experts say it’s the most lifelike and vivid photograph of the 16th U.S. president ever made. University Archives in Wilton, Connecticut, will host the auction on April 23.
Currently, bidding for the photo sits at $250,000. However, auctioneers expect the final price to reach between $800,000 and $1 million.
George B. Ayers created this photo between 1895 and 1900 using Alexander Hesler’s original 1860 portrait negative. Hesler had taken the original photo during Lincoln’s first presidential campaign.
Ayers used a rare gelatin silver process on a glass plate, producing a highly detailed image. Unlike paper prints, the glass plate preserved fine facial features with striking clarity. The photo sits in a custom-built case with a backlight, adding to its uniqueness.
A Remarkable Restoration
Grant Romer, Director of Photograph Conservation at the George Eastman Museum, restored the photo. He calls it “the closest you will ever get to seeing Lincoln, short of putting your eyeballs on the man himself.”
The glass plate had been damaged in 1933. Romer led an 18-month restoration to bring it back to life. He later discussed the process in a 2009 lecture at the Eastman House.
After purchasing Hesler’s Chicago studio in 1865, Ayers safeguarded the original negatives. His actions likely saved them from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Sadly, many plates later shattered during shipping. The surviving interpositive now stands as a rare survivor of a vanished archive.
More Than Just a Photograph
In addition to the Lincoln photo, the auction includes over 60 historical items. Notable pieces include an 1859 letter signed by Lincoln and a Hebrew note written by Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, in 1948.
Collectors consider this a once-in-a-lifetime sale. For Lincoln enthusiasts, it offers a rare chance to own a truly personal piece of American history.
