As the nation's attention turned to the presentation of an elusive, elite statue named Oscar, The Curator's Eye (www.CuratorsEye.com) offered several unique historic artifacts straight from the hand and presence of Abraham Lincoln himself. Indeed, Daniel Day-Lewis might like to take a seat in very chair Lincoln occupied when he was first nominated for the presidency. This was Lincoln's favorite seat at the offices of the Illinois State Journal, where he frequently caught up on news and discussed local and national affairs.

Lincoln's Nomination Chair
The Curator's Eye presents a stellar opportunity to collect Lincolniana and artifacts of Abraham Lincoln's ascendency. On May 18, 1860, while sitting in this armchair, Abraham Lincoln learned that he had received the Republican nomination for president of the United States. In an initially tight ballot race fit for Hollywood, it was not until the final count of the third ballot that Lincoln swept the nomination from William Seward of New York.

Henry Rankin, who was with Lincoln at the time, recalled that when the news came in "there was a hearty hand-shake of congratulations all round, followed by three rousing and prolonged cheers. No one but the nominee was able to control the joy the nomination had brought. He sat erect, rigid," in the chair available on The Curator’s Eye.

For the next two decades this rustic chair remained at the newspaper’s office. When the newspaper donated it to the Lincoln Memorial Collection in 1886, the editor observed, "We shall be happy if you can find some man to sit in it who is anywhere near as great as Lincoln." To find out more about the subsequent history of the bentwood hickory armchair, painted black, visit www.CuratorsEye.com.

Autograph Letter, Note
Also available for collectors is an autograph letter, signed by Lincoln to be sold to raise money for Union troops. He sent the letter to Lucy Southwick French, the former first lady of Illinois, saying "Though much pressed for time, some portion spent in efforts to relieve and comfort our brave soldiers can not but be well spent. Therefore I cheerfully send the autograph."

The Mississippi Valley Sanitary Fair, held in St. Louis, Missouri, May 17 – June 18, 1864, was the largest fundraising event to be held by the Western Sanitary Commission, which worked to raise money for sick and wounded soldiers, provide nursing, uniforms, and supplies, and improve conditions in military camps. In total, this particular fair raised $550,000 at a time the Union and Confederate forces were both suffering heavy casualties.

Joining Lincoln's autograph letter is a signed note, written as President during the Civil War, in which Lincoln answers a letter addressed to him by Judge James Hughes (1823 -1873) regarding Major Casper Crowninshield (1837-97) who commanded the 2d Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry. This note offers an interesting glimpse into the way Civil War-era operations took place.

The Curator's Eye is pleased to present these unique artifacts of history you can own. View these, and other items of distinction on www.CuratorsEye.com.