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Rare Large 1860 Abraham Lincoln Silk Banner Rare Large 1860 Abraham Lincoln Silk Banner

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Historical Memorabilia Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:12,000.00 - 18,000.00 USD
Rare Large 1860 Abraham Lincoln Silk Banner  Rare Large 1860 Abraham Lincoln Silk Banner
<B> Rare Large 1860 Abraham Lincoln Silk Banner</B></I> Despite the thousands of parade banners produced for Lincoln, only a handful have survived, and many of those are permanently ensconced in institutions. A public offering of one is a rare and special occurrence. This banner has fringe on three sides and blue ribbon bows at the top. It was hand-painted and is inscribed on front, "Old Cambridge. 1860 Lincoln Club. Freedom Our Cause. Lincoln Our Man." The lettering is red, gold, and blue against a white background. The reverse is inscribed, "The Union But Not With the Sacrifice of Freedom," in gold letters against a blue background. We assume this came out of the Boston area and saw use in Republican parades by "Northern abolitionists" who were willing to sacrifice the Union, if need be, in the cause of freedom for the slaves. <BR><BR>In examining the piece, we discovered a characteristic common to many 19th century campaign items: it has been recycled from a previous election. It was originally a John Fremont banner from 1856, but Fremont's name was painted over and the name Lincoln substituted and the date 1860 added. This "family history" just makes the item more interesting in our estimation. There are some minor water stains around the border area which are not obtrusive. It has resulted in a wrinkling or puckering of the affected area. Compared to the handful of parade banners we have examined, these defects are miniscule. To find historically important piece such as this completely intact with bold colors is quite extraordinary. 41" x 48".