Prized Lincoln Artifacts in Peril

[O' Be Joyful]

I saw this report on CBS This Morning. Due to shortfalls in donations to The Lincoln Presidential Museum, in Springfield, there is the possibility that many of the most prized Lincoln artifacts in their collections may be placed at auction. These include the blood-stained gloves he wore at Ford's Theatre, one of Mary's fans, and an icon top-hat and many others.

There are of course, accusations of--so far unsubstantiated--financial abuse. But in the long run does that really matter if these items are forever removed from public view and end up in the hands of a private collector or speculator. I hope not, and there will be plenty of time to evaluate the museum's operations, place blame and reform its operations if it is required.

https://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_...braham-lincoln-s-prized-possessions-in-peril/

Note: If you have an ad-blocker in place, you will have to white-list the CBS website to view the report/video.

 

[JOHN42768]

Hope it doesn't happen

 

[unionblue]

As a Lincoln "apologist," it would be tragic if this history were lost to the public. Hope they manage to figure something out and save the collection from being lost/sold.

 

[John Winn]

It would be more than a shame if those things ended up in private collections. If they really have to sell them then maybe the Smithsonian could acquire them.

 

[diane]

This is really sad. Often family will give a museum items so that they are not lost or sold to private individuals/organizations. Some of our recent presidents have invested millions in their libraries and museums, and nobody can spare a dime for Ol Abe? Very sad.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

GoFundMe makes saving Lincoln artifacts modern, accessible

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way."

So it's not improbable that the 16th president would endorse a modern fundraising method to ensure that priceless artifacts belonging to him stay in his hometown.

The crowdsourcing site GoFundMe — currently featuring requests of $800 to finance a boy's Eagle Scout project, $5,000 to send a terminally ill little boy to Disneyland and $55,000 for a school playground — was enlisted last week for a new goal: $9.7 million to save from auction thousands of items, including bloody gloves carried the night of his assassination and a stovepipe hat purportedly belonging to Lincoln.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation in Springfield must pay the debt by October 2019 or sell off parts of the well-known Taper Collection acquired in 2007 for $25 million with a $23 million loan.

And it makes no apologies for its non-traditional push. The self-effacing Lincoln would likely raise no objection, foundation CEO Carla Knorowski said.

​

Online:

GoFundMe Save Lincoln Artifacts: https://bit.ly/2k6hqLN

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation: http://www.alplm.org/

http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180519/gofundme-makes-saving-lincoln-artifacts-modern-accessible