Lincoln's Opera Glasses

I have just finished with all of my responsibilities at the ISA annual conference in Tempe, AZ.  We had a great time, the crowds were good, the mood was upbeat and the programs interesting, although I missed most of them.

I should soon be getting back on track with current art market update and trends.  Just a short note, soon a pair of opera glasses held by President Lincoln when he was assassinated are coming up to auction.  They expect a price of $500,000 to $700,000 although they failed to sell in that range at Sotehby's last June.  It will be interesting to see what they bring, and what the provenance premium will be.

Bloomberg reports

The president’s black enameled and gold glasses were picked up on the street by Captain James M. McCamly, a Washington City Guard who was helping transport Lincoln from the theater to the Petersen House, where the president died hours later.

“You can imagine all the commotion,” said Laura Yntema, auction manager at Sanders. “They probably just fell down as he was being moved across the street to the hospital. They are very well documented. We have James McCamly’s military records and a notarized letter from the McCamly’s family as well.”

Made by German company Gebruder Strausshof Optiker Berlin, the glasses remained in McCamly’s family for three generations.

Magazine publisher Malcolm Forbes Sr. bought them in 1979. The current owner is anonymous. The glasses last came up for sale at Sotheby’s (BID) in June 2011, with the estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. There were no takers.

Source: Bloomberg