Printed playbill, 6 x 17.5, contemporary after April 14, 1865, reading, in part, “FORD’S THEATRE…Season 11 Week XXXI Night 191…Friday Evening, April 14th, 1865. THIS EVENING The Performance will be honored by the presence of PRESIDENT LINCOLN.” Playbill also carries the imprint of “L. Brown, Printer, Washington, D. C.” along the bottom. In good condition, with repaired paper loss, mainly to right edge, and scattered toning, soiling and dampstaining.
In the aftermath of Lincoln's assassination, mourners and collectors clamored for anything associated with that fateful day. Capitalizing on this newfound demand, several contemporary reprints of the Ford's Theatre playbill for Our American Cousin were created. In this case, L. Brown, a charlatan printer, added a line not seen on the originals: "This Evening: the performance will be honored by the presence of President Lincoln."
