Original matte-finish 4 x 6 photograph of Abraham Lincoln with a neatly trimmed beard, printed circa 1894 by famed collector of Lincolniana H. W. Fay (per a copyright notice in the lower left corner), and signed and inscribed on the reverse in ink, "To J. G. Oien, Aug. 26, 1922, H. W. Fay, owner, original negative." Considered to be the first image of Lincoln with a full beard, this portrait was taken by photographer C. S. German in Springfield, Illinois, about January 13, 1861, at the request of Ohio sculptor Thomas D. Jones, who went to Springfield to make a bust of Lincoln from life. In very good to fine condition, with minor loss to the upper right corner tip, and toning and old mounting residue on the reverse. Encapsulated by PSA as an authentic "Type IV" photograph, c. 1890s.
Herbert Wells Fay worked as an editor for the DeKalb Review before serving as custodian of the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois in 1921. An avid collector of Lincolniana, Fay owned 90 different portraits of Abraham Lincoln as part of his enormous collection—all of which he housed in a utility room within the Springfield Tomb. Fay's meticulous documentation and cataloging of his collection have provided historians, researchers, and collectors with a rich resource for the study of Lincoln. His personal involvement in the dissemination of Lincoln's imagery is highlighted by the numerous photographs he inscribed and shared, such as the one here offered.
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