2009-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/31/2009
Offered is an enormous albumin photograph of Dr. Charles Leale and his family, Pach Brothers, New York front imprint. On the verso Leale, his wife, and children are all identified, with the date of June 1892 added as well. The piece measures an astounding 18" X 22", and is in fine condition with having a corner nick at the right corners of the mount. Overall in excellent condition. Dr. Leale, who was 50 years old when this photograph was taken, is seen seated surrounded by his family members. Charles Augustus Leale (March 26, 1842 - June 13, 1932) was an American Civil war union army medical surgeon. He is most notable for the attention given to Abraham Lincoln shortly after he was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. He first saw Lincoln a few days before the play at Ford's Theater and found Lincoln's face so interesting he wished to study it. Reading he would attend the theater, he finished duties early and sought a seat that would provide a good view of the president's face. The first doctor to reach Lincoln after the shooting, the twenty-three-year old was given by Mary Todd Lincoln the permission to attend her husband. Leale found the President had no pulse, performed mount to mouth resuscitation, found the wound and removed the blood clot, which released pressure and allowed his patient to start breathing on his own. The doctor quickly assessed, "His wound is mortal; it is impossible for him to recover," and ordered that the president be removed from Ford's Theater to the nearest bed. Lincoln was taken across Tenth Street to the Petersen House where he died at 7:22 the next morning, approximately nine hours after he was shot. This longer-than-expected duration was possible due to the good doctor's periodic removal of the wound's forming blood clots. Leale held Lincoln's hand most of the time; he was holding it when President Lincoln drew his last breath and afterwards said that he held the President's hand all night so that, if possible, he would know he was not alone. He would not talk about the event until a 100th anniversary of Lincoln's birth in 1909, when he was persuaded to give a speech on the event, because he had a duty to record it for posterity. An extraordinary opportunity for the collector of Lincolniana.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.