Ten carte-de-visite portraits of Lincoln’s cabinet members and vice presidents from throughout his time in office, each approximately 2.5 x 4, primarily signed at the bottom of the image or in the lower border in blue or black ink. Signers are: Andrew Johnson (signed on reverse), Hannibal Hamlin, Gideon Welles, Edward M. Stanton, William Dennison, Simon Cameron, William H. Seward, William P. Fessenden, Salmon P. Chase, and James Speed. All eight cabinet member cartes-de-visite are by Mathew Brady, with the Johnson by Bell & Brother and the Hamlin by Whitehurst Gallery. In overall very good to fine condition, with trimmed top and bottom edges to the Johnson, and moderate overall toning to the Speed and Welles, with some surface loss to the upper border of the Speed and paper loss to the lower border of the Welles. Lincoln assembled a cabinet full of men that had rivaled him for the 1860 Republican presidential nomination, including William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Simon Cameron. Despite waves of animosity, jealousy, and disagreement over policy, Lincoln was able to effectively lead his cabinet and guide the country toward drastic change, making it one of the most famous administrations in US history. RRAuction COA.
