Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Abraham Lincoln, 1858 vignette from ambrotype [cabinet card]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05111.01.0636 Author/Creator: Place Written: s.l. Type: Photograph Date: circa 1861-1865 Pagination: 1 photograph Height: 16.5 cm, Width: 10.8 cm Order a Copy

Inscription on verso: "Century ambrotype-or as I call it-the Magie ambrotype-made in the morning of 12-day 12 as L. wrote the questions he __founded to Douglas at the __fort debate, for J.K. Magie, who was with L on that trip of debates. Copy was given to me for private use by R.W. Gilder, who owns original ambrotypes. I send you this copy for your private use. J.H.Barttett. 7 or 8 years since I sent to Gilder copies of my photo with the promise from him that he would do the same by me. He has not kept his promise, & I got this only after sharp protest. H.W. Fay." Notation on verso: "1896." Inscription on recto: "1858 at Maco__."

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