- RARE LINCOLN ASSASSINATION EPHEMERA -

Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper [May 20, 1865] and Boston Daily Advertiser [April 20, 1865] - two rare original printed items related to President Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

1). Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. No. 503. Vol. XX. New York, May 20, 1865. Entire 16-page issue. Numerous engravings. An nice uncut example, which has never been bound, hence an unpunctured spine. Size: approx. 42cm x 29cm.

2.) Boston Daily Advertiser. Vol. 105. No. 93. Boston, Thursday Morning, April 20, 1865. Entire 4-page broadsheet newspaper. With black 'mourning' border on all 4 pages. Approx. 75cm x 53cm.

Very Good to Good overall condition. Frank Leslie's: Small scattered brown marks to third page, with a couple of spots also visible to front, second and fourth pages. Light overall creasing, including to fore-edge of pages, with a few tiny closed nicks. Light age-toning to cover and final page. Slightly sharper creases to bottom corners of 4 leaves. Boston Advertiser: Two pale ring stains to all 4 pages. A few smaller scattered stains to top half of pages. Some creasing and small closed tears to top edge of pages, inc. one tear across banner title lettering. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images closely.

Two rare items of printed ephemera related to President Lincoln's assassination. The Frank Leslie periodical has numerous engravings and letterpress related to the assassination, inc. Booth's body being disposed of, the assassination itself in the theatre, planning for Booth's capture, and funeral preparations, etc. The newspaper  details of the arrangements for Lincoln's funeral, and the text of all 4 pages are enclosed in a black 'mourning' border.

Provenance: found by us in an old American shipping trunk, which travelled with its owner from Boston to Liverpool in the late 19th century.

⁂ "In the May 20th, 1865 edition of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weekly newspaper, this image was printed inaccurately depicting the burial of President Lincoln's assassin, actor John Wilkes Booth. The federal government was worried what the public would do if they buried the body, so they staged a burial at sea and then secretly buried the assassin in an unmarked location. In 1869 they released the body to Booth's family and he was reburied in their family plot in Baltimore, Maryland. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weekly was a literary and news publication founded in 1855 which ran until 1922. It was one of several started by publisher and illustrator Frank Leslie. Leslie was a British engraver who came to the United States in 1848. The Illustrated Weekly followed a tested and proven formula of carefully combining elements of war, politics, art, science, travel and exploration, literature and the fine arts in each issue, enhanced with between 16 and 32 illustrations. By 1897 its circulation had grown to an estimated 65,000 copies." Ref: 'Remembering Lincoln, A project of Ford's Theatre.'