LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 NOV Political & Americana Mem. #672  / 

25303

Contemporary Forgery of Ford’s Theater Playbill

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 500.00 USD
Contemporary Forgery of Ford’s Theater Playbill
<B>Contemporary Forgery of Ford’s Theatre Playbill of April 14, 1865</B></I>, advertising the performance of <I>Our American Cousin</B></I> where President Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth. The playbill measures 6” x 19” with minor tears along the bottom and some spots of chemical reaction due to the ink. Otherwise, the forgery is near fine. <BR><BR>There were two versions of the playbill printed by Polkinhorn & Sons in Washington prior to the assassination of the president. The second version included eight lines of H. B. Phillip’s song, “Honor To Our Soldiers”. Following the shooting, Polkinhorn reset the type for the original playbill and printed the first forged copies. There were several flaws in the Polkinhorn forgery that differentiate it from the original. Forgeries read “Orchestra” and not “Orchestra Chairs”. Two other distinguishing features of this first version are the reading “Night 196” the 6 being sharp and distinct-and “whole Number of Nights, 49 5” with a full letter space between the 9 and 5.<BR><BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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